TEHRAN— Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian who visited Damascus for the fourth time in his tenure met with the country’s President Bashar Assad on Saturday.

In the meeting, Amir Abdollahian extended the greetings of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and the Iranian president to Assad.

He described the recent visit of the Syrian president to Iran as a turning point in bilateral relations and as being effective and fruitful in promoting ties between Tehran and Damascus.

The Iranian foreign minister also hailed the Syrian government and president’s efforts to strengthen the country’s national unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty.

He said the known enemies of Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty are trying to disrupt the situation in the country.

Amir Abdollahian then condemned the Israeli regime’s attacks against Syria. 

He went on to describe the silence of the Western organizations and also the failure of the Western governments to react to the attacks as an “indication of their double standards.”

The chief diplomat added the failure to seriously deal with the Israeli regime’s destructive moves and its acts of aggression shows that Western governments’ claim that they are making efforts to stabilize Syria and restore security to the country is simply not true.

Based on what Amir Abdollahian said, such approach has further emboldened the racist regime of Israel to try to disrupt the situation in Syria.

He added, “We understand the current concerns (of Turkey), but we are opposed to use of military operations to resolve problems.” 

Tehran believes that problems must be solved and concerns allayed through direct talks and cooperation, the foreign minister reiterated. 

For his part, Assad described the top Iranian diplomat’s visit to Damascus as important under the current circumstances, especially given the regional and international developments.

Assad added that a situation is unfolding in the region that will tip the balance in favor of Tehran and Damascus.

He accused Western governments of provocative acts in Syria for the purpose of destabilization of the status quo, rivalry and gaining concessions from other sides.

The Syrian president then referred to the existing concerns and dangers in the region, saying some of these issues are mutual among regional countries and must be resolved collectively through dialogue.

“We are happy that under such circumstances, the Islamic Republic of Iran is part of the political solution in the region,” Assad noted.

He added that Damascus welcomes any solution that shifts Syria away from war. 

The Syrian president also described his country’s relations with Iran as “strategic” and said over the past 40 years, ties between Tehran and Damascus have been growing.

Assad also pointed out that Palestine is an important issue for both Iran and Syria. 

FM consults Astana process with Syrian counterpart 

After meeting Assad, the foreign minister held a lengthy meeting with his Syrian counterpart, Faisal Mekdad. 

The Iranian and Syrian foreign ministers exchanged views on ways for an all-out expansion of bilateral ties, regional developments and international issues during a meeting on Saturday evening.

Amir Abdollahian described mutual exchanges of high-ranking delegations as a sign of the strategic depth of ties between Iran and Syria.

He also hailed a recent visit to Tehran by the Syrian president as a turning point in ties between the two sides.

The foreign minister also pointed to the unparalleled role played by martyr Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani in the regional fight against terrorism, particularly in Iraq and Syria, and praised the struggles of the honorable martyr.

Iran’s chief diplomat then highlighted the capacities of both states to enhance mutual relations in political, economic, industrial and commercial fields, saying that Iran’s technical and engineering capabilities can help implement the two countries’ joint big projects.

In turn, the Syrian foreign minister described Amir Abdollahian’s trip to Damascus as important, given the significant developments unfolding in the region and the world. 

The visit, he said, would deepen the already strong bonds between the two countries.

Mekdad emphasized that Damascus was ready for further promotion of ties with Tehran in all spheres. 

He also referred to Martyr Soleimani’s struggles and said the general sacrificed his life on the holy path of fighting terrorism.

The chief Syrian diplomat also expressed satisfaction with the positions adopted by Iran in the negotiations held within the Astana format and said that Tehran’s policies and current diplomatic approach were wise and smart.