President Assad:

Victories in Syria Belong to Iran Too

Rasa - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad appreciated Iran for its sincere support for Damascus in the war on terrorism, and said Tehran should also be congratulated for the recent victories against the terrorist groups in Syria, specially in Aleppo.

News ID: 426273

Date: 04 January 2017 - 23:31

RNA - "We should felicitate you on these victories (too) since they have been materialized with your support," President Assad said in a meeting with Chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi in Damascus on Wednesday after the latter congratulated him on the recent successes in the war on terrorism.

Boroujerdi arrived in Damascus on Tuesday evening to meet with the high-ranking Syrian officials, including the country's president, parliament speaker, prime minister and foreign minister.

Iran has helped Syria in the fight against the terrorist groups by playing a military advisory role based on the defense agreements between the two countries.

In relevant remarks on Sunday, Iranian Supreme Leader's top aide Ali Akbar Velayati described liberation of Aleppo as a great victory for the Syrian army and its allies, and said Tehran and Damascus enjoy strategic relations.

"Iran and Syria enjoy long-term and strategic ties established since the presidency of late Hafez Assad," Velayati said in a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem in Tehran.

He underlined the importance of freedom of Aleppo from terrorists' control, and said, "The importance of this victory is not hidden to anyone and the friends and enemies of Syria emphasize this issue."

Muallem, for his part, viewed liberation of Aleppo as a joint victory for Iran, Russia and Syria, and said, "For the (political) negotiations to succeed, the armed groups should separate from the terrorists and withdraw from areas around Aleppo so that people feel security there."

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