Tehran, IRNA – Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has said that a comprehensive agreement that he signed with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad to forge strategic and long-term cooperation between the two countries is the beginning of a new chapter of “brotherly and friendly ties” between the two sides.

Raisi made the comment on Thursday in a meeting with Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous in Damascus on the second day of his landmark visit to the Arab country.

The Iranian president called on the Syrian prime minister to pay special attention to the implementation of documents and agreements signed during his trip and stressed that the two countries should expand their cooperation in economic and trade fields.

The Syrian premier on his part thanked Iran for its support to his country when it was in crisis because of the years-long war triggered by foreign-backed militancy, saying that Syria will never forget Iran’s assistance.

He welcomed the expansion of ties between the two sides and promised to seriously follow up on the implementation of the 14 documents signed to boost mutual cooperation.

Raisi and his accompanying delegation made up of some cabinet ministers began their two-day trip to Syria on Wednesday.

The trip is the first by an Iranian president since 2011 when Syria was gripped by war.

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