By Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer
Congratulations to the people of Syria for emerging victorious from over six years of an intricate and catastrophic war plot, hatched jointly in Washington, Riyadh, Amman, Ankara, Doha, Abu Dhabi, London, and Tel Aviv to fragment the country.
Although it will take some time for formal celebration of the total triumph of the government of President Bashar Assad over terrorists of all hue and colour, including the cannibalistic Takfiris – thanks to the untiring efforts of the Syrian people, the Syrian army, the famed anti-terrorist Hezbollah units of fraternal Lebanon, the brotherly support provided by the Islamic Republic of Iran as per the defence cooperation accord between the two countries, and Russia’s timely response to Syria’s official request for air cover – the holding of the Damascus International Fair is firm proof that peace and planning for future prosperity is returning to the country.
It is but natural for the Islamic Republic to participate in a big way at the Damascus International Fair which is being held after a 5-year gap. Iran is ready to help rebuild Syria in view of its vast resources, industrial strength, expertise and above all, determination.
Iran hasn’t forgotten how firmly Syria stood beside it during the 8-year war the US had imposed on the Islamic Republic in the 1980s (1980-88) through Saddam of the repressive Ba’th minority regime of Baghdad. President Hafez al-Assad had immediately closed the Baniyas pipeline carrying Iraqi oil to the Mediterranean when Saddam started his unprovoked invasion.
Tehran has said time and again that the defence of Syria, or for that matter the defence of all regional countries, including Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Palestine, etc., is the defence of not just Iran but of Islam and its sanctities.
Lebanon is also participating in a big way at the Damascus International Fair and so are Russia, China, India, Venezuela and interestingly Egypt, which has the most number of stalls at the exhibit.
This is indication of wisdom in the corridors of power in Cairo in the face of intensive pressures from the US, the illegal Zionist entity, and above all their principal instrument of instability in the Arab-Muslim World, that is, Saudi Arabia, whose Wahhabi cult serves as inspiration for the macabre massacres carried out by the Takfiri terrorists, with, of course, unlimited funds flowing in from Riyadh from the stolen oil wealth of the suppressed Shi’a Muslims of Eastern Arabia.
A total of 23 world countries, including some from Europe, are officially participating in the Damascus International Fair – the Middle East’s first modern trade fair dating back to 1954 – in addition to industrial delegations sent by twenty-two other countries, which makes the number of participants an impressive 45.
The Sultanate of Oman was among the first countries to send its trade delegation to Damascus – a resounding slap indeed on the face of the seditious Saudis and their client states which for the past six years had tried to demonize the government of President Assad and dreamt of its overthrow.
The primary theme of the fair is National Revival and Infrastructural Renewal. For Syrians, the fair is a symbol that their country is returning to normalcy and the Assad government which has always guaranteed equal rights among the different creeds, religious sects and ethnicities that make up Syria, as well as equality between men and women, is more determined than ever to rebuild the country as a bastion against American imperialism.
Prime Minister Emad Khamis who inaugurated the Fair rightly said in his speech: "The will of Syrians for life was and is still stronger than terrorism. It is the victory flag of life over murder, honesty over treason, right over wrong and sovereignty over dependency.”
In his speech he lauded the sacrifices of what he said "our brave army and our allies” – a fitting tribute to all those stood beside the Syrian people and whose citizens bravely courted martyrdom in defence of Islam and the holy shrines of the members of the Ahl al-Bayt or the Blessed Household of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA).
The message of the Damascus International Fair which opened on17 August and continues until 26 August is thus loud and clear. It means that although winning the war against Salafist/Wahhabi and all other terrorists, including the so-called ‘Free Syrian Army’ is highly important, what is also essential is guaranteeing peace for the prosperity and the bright future of the Syrian people.
In other words, the Syrian government, its state partners and private businesses and entrepreneurs from around the world are resolved to view the challenges of post-war Syria as mutual opportunities.