DAMASCUS (Dispatches) -- 
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad here Saturday praised Iran’s strong reaction to the recurrent Israeli violation of the sovereignty of regional nations.
In a meeting with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Assad said Tehran’s recent retaliatory missile strike gave the Zionist regime a lesson that “the resistance axis is capable of deterrence against the enemy and foiling its plots”.
Assad also highlighted the power of resistance against occupation, aggression and massacre. He said the Zionist regime has no option but to stop the massacre of people in Lebanon and Gaza and let the people enjoy their legitimate rights.
He further hailed the strategic nature of relations between Syria and Iran and their cooperation in dealing with challenges and threats faced by the regional nations, above all the massacre of civilians in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria.
Assad and Araghchi discussed ways to stop the Zionist regime’s acts of aggression against Lebanon. They also stressed the need to support the Lebanese people displaced by the Israeli strikes.
Araqchi highlighted the power of resistance forces in Lebanon and Palestine against the Zionist regime’s death and destruction machine, stressing the need for coordination among all pro-resistance countries to put an end to the Zionist regime’s acts of aggression.
The Iranian foreign minister arrived from Beirut where he held “important negotiations” with Lebanese leaders.
The aim of the trip to Damascus, he said, was to continue discussions over developments in the region. 
“In Beirut, I had very important negotiations with Lebanese government officials,” he told reporters upon arrival in Damascus. 
“There are initiatives in this regard. Negotiations have been held, which we hope would bear fruit. But unfortunately, the hostilities and crimes of the Zionist regime continue,” Araghchi said. 
The minister said the Zionist regime knows no other language than the language of force, war and crime, and it continues its crimes daily in Beirut, South Lebanon and Gaza, which calls for a collective effort by the international community to stop these crimes.
Tehran, he said, continues with its efforts to reach a better understanding with Damascus “for the next steps”.
“Our bilateral discussions are very extensive in various economic, political, cultural fields and we have good relations with the Syrian government… and try to remove the existing obstacles and improve the relations.”
Araghchi arrived in Beirut on Friday, along with a package of 10 tonnes of food and medicine as part

 of Iran’s humanitarian assistance to the Arab country.
He held talks with Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and reaffirmed his country’s unwavering support for the Lebanese government, nation and resistance front in the face of the atrocities of the Israeli regime.
During the meeting, Araghchi extended the sincere condolences of the Iranian government and nation on the martyrdom of Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and other innocent Lebanese nationals as a result of the terrorist and brutal Israeli attacks and restated Tehran’s unflinching support for Lebanon in the struggle against the Tel Aviv regime.