Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Syria on Wednesday, leading a large ministerial delegation for a two-day visit.
President Bashar al-Assad welcomed him and held plenary talks on bilateral relations and their development in various fields.
Syria’s official SANA said, “President Assad highlighted the stability and firmness of Syrian-Iranian relations during challenging times, despite severe political and security storms in the region. President Raisi praised Syria’s resilience in overcoming difficulties and achieving victory in the face of threats and sanctions.”
The discussions also covered the latest developments in the Middle East and the impact of global changes on the region, according to SANA.
“The leaders emphasized the importance of cooperation between their countries and leveraging these changes for the benefit of both nations and the people of the region.”
Upon his arrival at Damascus International Airport, President Raisi was greeted with an official reception ceremony at al-Shaab Palace. The national anthems of Syria and Iran were played, and the two leaders reviewed the guard of honour before shaking hands with members of their respective official delegations
MoU
President Bashar al-Assad and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a comprehensive long-term strategic cooperation plan between their countries.
Pro-government Al-Watan Newspaper reported that the signing ceremony included several agreements, such as an MoU for agricultural cooperation and minutes of a meeting on railway cooperation between Syria and Iran.
Additionally, according to the paper, the two leaders signed an MoU for mutual recognition of maritime certificates, minutes of a civil aviation meeting, and an MoU for cooperation in free zones and oil.
There was also an agreement for cooperation in the field of communications and information technology, as well as an MoU between Syria’s National Earthquake Center and Iran’s International Institute for Seismic Engineering, Al-Watan added.
Raisi remarks
During his visit to Syria, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi described the relationship between his country and Syria as “strategic and deep.”
In an interview with al-Mayadeen TV on Tuesday, President Raisi emphasized that his visit aims to strengthen and expand these ties across all domains.
President Raisi expressed Iran’s readiness to collaborate with Syria in the reconstruction process, stressing the need for this process to begin promptly to allow the displaced to return to their homeland and for conditions to return to a state of normalcy.
President Raisi highlighted that “the Americans and Zionists had hoped that Syria would collapse and that they could break the front line of resistance.”
The Iranian President welcomed Syria’s return to regional relations, urging for the immediate departure of US forces that are illegally present in Syrian territories.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi revealed new details regarding the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran during an exclusive interview with Al Mayadeen that aired on Tuesday. Raisi also delved into various topics including Iran’s accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, ties to Syria, and Israeli threats.
Tehran’s statement
Ali Bahadori Jahromi, the spokesman for the Iranian government, stated that President Ebrahim Raisi’s upcoming visit to Syria on Wednesday is of strategic importance, with the main focus on economic cooperation between the two countries.
During a press conference, Jahromi highlighted the successful cooperation between Iran and Syria in various fields, including security and counter-terrorism, and emphasized that the two countries can continue to stand together during Syria’s reconstruction process.
