TEHRAN- The Iranian foreign minister has praised Syria for reclaiming its rightful place in regional and Arab organizations, highlighting how its interactions with other nations will help build stability and security in the region.

Hossein Amir Abdollahian made the remarks in a meeting with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement on Thursday in Baku. 

They discussed the most recent developments in the relations between Tehran and Damascus as well as the political and regional processes affecting Syria.

Amir Abdollahian greeted his Syrian counterpart on behalf of the Iranian president and discussed their recent productive and significant meeting, according to the website of the Foreign Ministry.

He then emphasized the need to pursue the implementation of bilateral agreements.

The Iranian foreign minister praised the restoration of links between Damascus and the other countries and commended Syria’s return to its proper and significant position in the regional and Arab organizations. 

He additionally hailed the new advances, saying they will help restore security and stability in Syria and the surrounding region.

Mekdad, for his part, sent cordial wishes on behalf of the president of his country and hailed the recent trip to Damascus by the Iranian president as significant.

Then, he gave Amir Abdollahian a briefing on the exceptional actions taken in Syria at the highest levels to fulfill the agreements made between the two presidents.

The two top diplomats also discussed the Astana peace talks, the Syrian refugee issue, and the latest developments in Iran's relations with Arab nations.

Iran, Iraq discuss regional coordination

On Thursday, the foreign ministers of Iran and Iraq also discussed regional cooperation and the implementation of a bilateral security pact to guarantee regional security and stability.

Amir Abdollahian and his Iraqi counterparty Fuad Hussein addressed matters of mutual concern in many domains.

Amir Abdollahian emphasized the significance of Iraq’s role in the region and stated that Tehran and Baghdad’s ties are at their best. 

He also praised Iran and Iraq for making necessary efforts to explore various areas of cooperation.

Amir Abdollahian and Hussein also discussed regional cooperation, financial exchanges, border issues, and the status of Iran’s gas export to Iraq.

Iran, Belarus considering plans to increase trade exchanges

The foreign ministries of Iran and Belarus also talked about measures to expand bilateral commerce, implement cooperative industrial projects, and foster political and economic cooperation between the two nations.

Amir Abdollahian and his Belarusian counterpart Sergei Aleinik discussed the future of bilateral cooperation in light of the agreements reached during the March visit of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to Iran.

The two senior diplomats also discussed the political, economic, scientific, cultural and consular cooperation between Tehran and Minsk.

They touched on regional and international issues, as well as collaboration between Iran and Belarus in regional and international institutions.

Amir Abdollahian and Aleinik also reviewed a road map for bilateral collaboration and assessed preparations for implementing bilateral agreements.

They emphasized the need to expand trade exchanges, carry out joint industrial projects, and improve transportation and transit cooperation.

Iran, Sudan vow to resume diplomatic ties

Amir Abdollahian also discussed the restoration of diplomatic ties between Tehran and Khartoum with Sudan’s acting foreign minister, Ali Saddiq Ali.

The ministers shared ideas and discussed the two countries’ decades-long ties before Sudan cut ties with Tehran. 

It was the first encounter between the senior diplomats of Iran and Sudan in seven years.

The senior ambassador for Iran stressed how crucial and significant Sudan is to the Islamic world. 

He expressed optimism that Sudan’s administration of President Abdel Fattah would quickly restore peace and stability.

Saddiq Ali gave a summary of the present domestic situation in Sudan as well as the pertinent regional happenings during the meeting.

Both sides explored a plan for quickly reestablishing diplomatic ties between the two nations.

In a post on his Twitter account on Friday, Amir Abdollahian said, “During the visit to Baku, in addition to delivering a speech at the meeting of foreign ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Committee on Palestine, I held meetings and had talks with the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan and my counterparts from Nicaragua, Turkey, Belarus, Syria, Kuwait, Sudan, Iraq, Malaysia, and also Palestine’s Fatah Liberation Movement (Minister Riyad al-Maliki).”

The two-day ministerial meeting of the NAM Coordinating Bureau was held in Baku on Wednesday and Thursday.

NAM was established in Belgrade in 1961 and currently consists of 120 members as well as 17 observer states that are neither explicitly allied with nor opposed to any major power bloc.

The Third World sees NAM a movement to make their voice heard amid a changing world that witnesses swinging geostrategic balances.