Iran reaffirms support for Syria

Source : Tehran Times

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi met with Syrian President Bashar al- Assad in Damascus on Tuesday and assured the crisis-hit country that the Islamic Republic will continue to support it.

In the meeting, Salehi briefed Assad on Iran’s efforts to restore peace and stability in Syria, saying that the crisis can only be resolved through national dialogue and without foreign interference.

He said that the terrorist actions carried out by extremist groups in Syria should wake other countries up to the realities on the ground in the Arab country and should force them to step up efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the two- year-old conflict.

Assad, for his part, hailed Iran’s stance toward Syria and said that Damascus was determined to continue its support for the line of resistance against Israel.

The efforts of terrorist groups in Syria are doomed to failure, and the future belongs to those who are advocates of the resolution of the crisis through political means, the Syrian president said.

Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Wednesday, Salehi called on Syrian opposition groups to dissociate themselves from terrorist groups in the country.

“We think that genuine opposition groups should immediately dissociate themselves from these mercenaries and enter dialogue with the Syrian government and determine the fate of their country,” Salehi said.

EP/PA