TEHRAN – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said that the liberation of the strategic city of Aleppo from the terrorists is a victory not just for his country, but also for Iran and Russia, Press TV reported.

Assad made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari in Damascus on Thursday.

The liberation of Aleppo is also a relapse for all the countries that are hostile towards the Syrian people and that have used terrorism to meet their interests, he said.

Jaberi Ansari, for his turn, said that the strategic Tehran-Damascus relations have helped reinforce the two countries as well as other regional nations in the face of foreign plots.

He also briefed the Syrian president on the latest diplomatic efforts, led by Iran, Russia, and Turkey, aimed at ending the conflict in Syria.

The top Iranian diplomat further underlined Tehran’s determination to strengthen ties with Syria and help the Arab country in its fight against terrorism.

Ansari also held separate meetings with Prime Minister Imad Mohammad Khamis, Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, and Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad.

Following his short visit to Syria, Ansari arrived in Lebanon Thursday evening through al-Jadida-Masna border of Syria and Lebanon.

He met and conferred with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri in Beirut.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to further expand Tehran-Beirut cooperation in various domains.

Ansari also congratulated Hariri on the formation of the new government, hoping that his tenure would bring positive changes in the region.

He underlined that Lebanon is one of the influential countries in the region, and hailed the country’s active resistance against occupation, expansion and adventurism of the Zionist regime.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ansari described Lebanon as a “model of peaceful coexistence” of various political and social factions, ethnic groups, and religions.

Ansari also met with Secretary General of Hizbollah Seyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday.

The Iranian official's visit to Syria and Lebanon follows the trilateral meeting among Iranian, Russian and Turkish foreign ministers in Moscow, with the aim of putting an end to the long-lasting war in Syria. 

The meeting has turned the spotlight on the future of the Syrian conflict as the three regional powers exchanged views on ways to fight terrorism.

The United States was not invited to take part in the talks.

MH/PA