Tehran, IRNA – Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that the Islamic Republic is interested in strengthening relations with Islamic countries, especially Syria, adding that cooperation among Islamic nations will bring progress for all Muslims.

“We are ready to deepen cooperation and develop ties with all Islamic countries based on mutual respect and interests”, Pezeshkian said on Wednesday, adding that this approach is particularly true about Syria.

He made the comments in a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam al-Sabbagh in Tehran.

President Pezeshkian said that Tehran’s ties with Damascus are beyond diplomatic relations, and are based on shared beliefs, cultural and historical commonalities, adding that Iran is interested in developing relations with the brotherly and friendly country of Syria in various fields.

Further in his remarks, the Iranian president said that if Islamic countries are united, the Israeli regime will not be able to commit crimes against them, stressing that Iran will never stop supporting its friends.

“We believe that unity and cooperation among Islamic countries will bring progress for all Muslims”, the Iranian president said, noting that Muslim unity will foil plots by enemies including the US and the Zionist regime against the interests of regional countries.

The Syrian foreign minister, for his part, conveyed warm greetings and an invitation from President Bashar al-Assad to Pezeshkian to visit the Arab country.

Al-Sabbagh said that relations between the two countries are continuously expanding, and that Syria is making efforts to define a new perspective of interactions in economic, trade and cultural fields based on its excellent political relations with Iran.

He also appreciated Iran for supporting the Syrian government and people. He said that the two countries have common challenges, particularly in the face of the US-Zionist project to change regional geopolitics, stressing that resistance is the most effective way to counter this project.

Further in his remarks, the Syrian foreign minister emphasized that his country will never separate from the Resistance Axis, despite moves currently underway to that aim.

He also said that Syria is willing to increase its diplomatic cooperation with Tehran, while working on bilateral economic cooperation which he said is effective in nullifying US sanctions against the two countries.

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