TEHRAN -- Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad on Monday appreciated Iran’s constructive and effective role in fighting terrorism, and in the political settlement of the foreign-sponsored crisis in the Arab country.
In a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Hussein Amir-Abdollahian, Mekdad demanded that Iran continue to play an active role in any political initiative to end the Syrian crisis through the Astana format.
Iran and Russia, as the allies of the Syrian government, as well as Turkey, which sides with the opposition, set up the Astana peace process in January 2017 to put an end to the Syrian conflict through the involvement of the Syrian government and the opposition.
During their phone conversation, the two foreign ministers also discussed bilateral relations and the latest developments in Syria and the Middle East and expressed their countries’ determination to further develop mutual ties in various spheres.
The top Iranian and Syrian diplomats reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to supporting Palestinians’ legitimate struggle to safeguard their sanctities and historical rights, and strongly condemned the apartheid Israeli regime’s crimes against Palestinians.
Amir-Abdollahian underscored Iran’s support for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying the Islamic Republic will continue to assist the war-ravaged Arab country in the war against terrorism and in the face of Western sanctions.
Iran maintains an advisory mission in Syria at the request of Damascus with the aim of helping the war-torn Arab country get rid of the foreign-backed militants, who have been fighting against the Syrian government since 2011.
In 2017, Iran’s advisory assistance helped Syria defeat the Daesh terrorist group.
General Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated in a U.S. airstrike near the Baghdad airport in January 2020, played a key role in the disgraceful defeat of the terrorist group.