President Assad Tells FM Zarif in Damascus
DAMASCUS (Kayhan Intl.) -- Iran’s Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Monday to discuss regional developments in light of the novel coronavirus.
On his first official meeting with Zarif in a year, Assad lauded Iran for supporting the Arab country in the fight against terrorism. He also paid tribute to Iranian commander General Qassem Soleimani for his unrivalled role in the battle against terrorism in Syria.
The Syrian president further expressed condolences to Iran, the regional epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic with 5,209 deaths from COVID-19.
The Islamic Republic says it has recorded 83,505 infections, while Syria has declared 39 cases, including three deaths.
Assad criticized the United States for keeping economic sanctions in place on countries like Syria and Iran "despite these exceptional humanitarian conditions”, the Syrian presidency said in a statement.
"The coronavirus crisis has exposed the failure of the Western regimes as well as their immorality, because the pandemic showed that these regimes only serve a select few of individuals with vested interests, instead of serving their people,” he said.
A photo released by the presidency showed the visiting foreign minister and Syrian president sitting opposite each other, both in face masks. Zarif also wore light blue plastic gloves.
Assad condemned "ongoing encroachments by Turkey on the sovereignty and territory of Syria,” in the country’s north where Ankara has deployed troops, set up military posts and backed rebels battling the government.
Zarif said that "the U.S. real agenda in not lifting its cruel sanctions on countries fighting this disease has now become clear”, a statement from Tehran said.
The minister thanked Syria for sending representatives to the magnificent funeral of General Soleimani, stressing that the martyrdom of the top commander would by no means change Iran’s support for the resistance and its fight against terrorism.
On his first official meeting with Zarif in a year, Assad lauded Iran for supporting the Arab country in the fight against terrorism. He also paid tribute to Iranian commander General Qassem Soleimani for his unrivalled role in the battle against terrorism in Syria.
The Syrian president further expressed condolences to Iran, the regional epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic with 5,209 deaths from COVID-19.
The Islamic Republic says it has recorded 83,505 infections, while Syria has declared 39 cases, including three deaths.
Assad criticized the United States for keeping economic sanctions in place on countries like Syria and Iran "despite these exceptional humanitarian conditions”, the Syrian presidency said in a statement.
"The coronavirus crisis has exposed the failure of the Western regimes as well as their immorality, because the pandemic showed that these regimes only serve a select few of individuals with vested interests, instead of serving their people,” he said.
A photo released by the presidency showed the visiting foreign minister and Syrian president sitting opposite each other, both in face masks. Zarif also wore light blue plastic gloves.
Assad condemned "ongoing encroachments by Turkey on the sovereignty and territory of Syria,” in the country’s north where Ankara has deployed troops, set up military posts and backed rebels battling the government.
Zarif said that "the U.S. real agenda in not lifting its cruel sanctions on countries fighting this disease has now become clear”, a statement from Tehran said.
The minister thanked Syria for sending representatives to the magnificent funeral of General Soleimani, stressing that the martyrdom of the top commander would by no means change Iran’s support for the resistance and its fight against terrorism.
Earlier on Monday, Zarif met with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem, the foreign ministry in Damascus said.
They stressed "the importance of continued coordination and the exchange of information and expertise between... the two countries to enhance their ability to confront” the pandemic and "secure the necessary needs and requirements for prevention, diagnosis and treatment”.
Iran, along with Russia, is one of the Syrian government’s main allies in a nine-year foreign-backed war that has killed more than 380,000 people and forced more than half of the country’s pre-war population from their homes.
Zarif last met with Assad during a visit to Damascus in April last year.
In their talks Monday, Zarif and Assad discussed ways to develop bilateral relations, particularly in the economic sector, and implementation of joint ventures to serve the interests of the two countries’ peoples.
They also exchanged views about the latest political developments, including the Astana process and the persistence of Turkish military aggression in Syria’s embattled northwestern region.
They stressed "the importance of continued coordination and the exchange of information and expertise between... the two countries to enhance their ability to confront” the pandemic and "secure the necessary needs and requirements for prevention, diagnosis and treatment”.
Iran, along with Russia, is one of the Syrian government’s main allies in a nine-year foreign-backed war that has killed more than 380,000 people and forced more than half of the country’s pre-war population from their homes.
Zarif last met with Assad during a visit to Damascus in April last year.
In their talks Monday, Zarif and Assad discussed ways to develop bilateral relations, particularly in the economic sector, and implementation of joint ventures to serve the interests of the two countries’ peoples.
They also exchanged views about the latest political developments, including the Astana process and the persistence of Turkish military aggression in Syria’s embattled northwestern region.
The Syrian president said Turkey’s acts of aggression expose its true intentions as it has failed to remain committed to the agreements it entered whether in Astana or Sochi, all of which call for recognition of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Zarif also denounced the West’s current attempts to re-exploit the issue of "chemical weapons” in Syria, saying it is shameful that this pretext would be used again in light of the current situation around the world.
Western governments and their allies have never stopped pointing the finger at Damascus whenever an apparent chemical attack has taken place.
This is while the Syrian government surrendered its stockpiles of chemical weapons in 2014 to a joint mission led by the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which oversaw the destruction of the weaponry.
The Syrian military has taken back control of most of the areas that had been held by militant and terrorist groups.
Idlib remains the only large area in the hands of anti-Damascus militants after the Syrian military — backed by Iran and Russia — managed to undo militant gains across the country and bring back almost all of Syrian soil under government control.
Turkey has significantly beefed up its military presence in northwestern Syria amid continued disagreement with Russia over Damascus’ counterterrorism operations in the area.
Zarif also denounced the West’s current attempts to re-exploit the issue of "chemical weapons” in Syria, saying it is shameful that this pretext would be used again in light of the current situation around the world.
Western governments and their allies have never stopped pointing the finger at Damascus whenever an apparent chemical attack has taken place.
This is while the Syrian government surrendered its stockpiles of chemical weapons in 2014 to a joint mission led by the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which oversaw the destruction of the weaponry.
The Syrian military has taken back control of most of the areas that had been held by militant and terrorist groups.
Idlib remains the only large area in the hands of anti-Damascus militants after the Syrian military — backed by Iran and Russia — managed to undo militant gains across the country and bring back almost all of Syrian soil under government control.
Turkey has significantly beefed up its military presence in northwestern Syria amid continued disagreement with Russia over Damascus’ counterterrorism operations in the area.
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