Iran president hails Syria for ‘standing firm’ against US pressures

“The Syrian people stood firm and resisted, with the guidance of their honorable president and government, and they must be praised for their resilience,” President Raisi said Wednesday in Damascus, at a press conference with his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad.

“The situation of Iran and Syria today is testimony to the genuineness of resistance and resilience of the two countries against pressures,” he added.

The Iranian president stated that countries that have failed to achieve their “wicked goals” in the battlefield are now trying to pursue their objectives through economic pressure and sanctions.

“Of course, these countries will definitely fail,” he said, noting that the United States has already admitted to the “scandalous failure” of its maximum pressure policy against Iran.

The Iranian chief executive condemned the US military presence in Syria and the broader Middle East, and said, “The sooner Americans leave Syria, the more its security will be guaranteed.” 

“The establishment of Syrian sovereignty over all territory of the country can ensure the security of the entire region,” he pointed out.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Raisi criticized the “discrimination” of international organizations and some countries in providing aid to Syrian earthquake victims, after a catastrophic earthquake devastated northern Syria and southeastern Turkey in February.

“It is absolutely unacceptable for those with an awakened conscience to see the earthquake-stricken people of Syria being denied the necessities of life from international organizations and some countries,” he said.

The Iranian president also called for the expansion of relations between the two allied countries.

Raisi landed in Damascus at the head of a high-ranking delegation on Wednesday in a first official visit by an Iranian president to Syria in 12 years.

He met with his Syrian counterpart earlier in the day, during which the two leaders inked 15 documents to boost cooperation in trade, oil and energy, transport, technology, and other areas.

**2050