TEHRAN – Iranian Majlis Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf arrived in Damascus on Tuesday for talks to boost economic cooperation between Tehran and Damascus. 

The visit is aimed to facilitate trade and economic ties between Iran and Syria, Fars News reported. 

Removing trade barriers and solving the problems of Iranian businessmen and traders to use the economic potential of Syria are the most important agenda of Qalibaf in the trip, according to Fars News.

During the trip, Qalibaf met with senior Syrian officials, as well as businessmen and entrepreneurs from the two countries. According to Fars News, Qalibaf will specifically pursue economic and trade goals. It added the trip will focus on strategic cooperation, including economic agreements between Iran and Syria and the opening of new routes for Iranian traders and industries.

Qalibaf has underlined the need to boost Iran’s trade and economic ties with non-Western countries and he even proposed to change the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to “Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.”

The Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly is the highest-ranking Iranian official to visit Damascus after the crisis emerged in the country.

In recent weeks, several Iranian officials visited Syria with the purpose of enhancing economic ties with the Arab country that has just emerged from a devastating civil war.  

In mid-July, a delegation from Iran’s Foreign Ministry led by Assistant Foreign Minister Reza Najafi met with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations and how to strengthen relations. 

Talks during the meeting tackled the relations between the foreign ministries of both countries, as well as laying the necessary bases for strengthening coordination and consultation in various fields of interest to them, especially working to confront terrorism to which both countries are exposed, including economic terrorism represented by unilateral coercive measures imposed on them, the Syrian state news SANA reported. 

Mekdad expressed the Syrian leadership, government and people’s high appreciation for the important role played by Iran in all political, military and economic fields to support Syria in its war on terrorism, stressing the depth of the strategic relations between Syria and Iran and that Syria looks with satisfaction at the high level which the relations between the two countries have reached in various fields.

The Syrian foreign minister stressed that the mutual visits will help consolidate and strengthen relations between the two countries, activate coordination, consultation and exchange of views between the two foreign ministries, and finding ways to uplift them due to the serious and fruitful cooperation required by the current stage in various international forums.

Najafi, for his part, indicated that the visit includes many meetings aimed at activating cooperation and coordination with the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry in the Syrian Arab Republic.

He stressed that the relations between Syria and Iran are deep and significant and they meet the aspirations of the peoples of the two countries. He also reaffirmed Iran’s continued support for the just Syrian stance at various international organizations, especially in the combat against terrorism to restore security and stability on all Syrian lands.

A few days earlier, another Iranian parliamentary delegation led by Abbas Golrou, the deputy head of the Iran-Syria Parliamentary Friendship Group, also met with Mekdad and other Syrian officials. 

During his visit, Golrou said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes the improvement of relations with Syria in various fields.”

On the second day of his visit to Damascus, Golrou said during a meeting with Mekdad at the Syrian Foreign Ministry that “the Islamic Republic of Iran and Syria are long-standing friends with historical background and religious commonalities who have supported each other in various developments in the region.”

He added, “The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that strengthening mutual commonalities and increasing the level of trade can strengthen the two countries in the face of U.S. sanctions.”

The Iranian lawmaker noted, “Implementation of agreements and joint cooperation is very important in the process of strengthening the economic strength of the two countries and the Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes the improvement of relations with Syria in various fields.”

Golrou emphasized, “Special attention to economic issues and special cooperation in this field will further strengthen the interactions between the two countries.”

He described Syria as a country enjoying a bright horizon and a bright future, and stressed the need to pay special attention to economic cooperation and strengthening cultural, social and economic capacities.

The Iranian delegation also met with Speaker of the People’s Assembly Hammoudeh Sabbagh, who affirmed on Thursday the importance of boosting parliamentary relations through exchanging visits, viewpoints, and joint coordination at regional and international conferences, according to SANA.

In continuation of their visit, the Iranian delegation also met with Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous. The two sides stressed the importance of boosting parliamentary relations, increasing the joint visits to achieve the common interests of the two friendly countries and peoples.