Iraq News

Syria's al-Assad meets Iran supreme leader in Tehran

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Monday (February 25th) on his first visit to that country since the start of the Syrian war, AFP reported.

During talks, al-Assad expressed his gratitude to Iran for all that it has done for Syria during the nearly eight-year war, the Syrian presidency said.

Khamenei told al-Assad "Iran considers helping the government and nation of Syria to be helping the resistance movement and is proud of it from the bottom of its heart", his website said.

He called al-Assad "the hero of the Arab world" and said his steadfastness made the "resistance more powerful and respected".

Photographs published on Khamenei’s website showed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF) commander Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani was present at the meeting.

Al-Assad also met with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani during his trip.

Damascus and Tehran signed a string of deals in late January, including a long-term "economic co-operation" agreement.

As Syria's war draws down, Iran is looking for a means to maintain its influence through direct economic control, which analysts say will harm Syria and limit its options for dealing with other countries, especially in light of the sanctions imposed on Iran.

Al-Assad's only other trips outside Syria since the war began in March 2011 with a brutal crackdown by his forces have been to Russia.

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