Aleppo liberation shows West support for terror failing: Shamkhani

A senior Iranian official says the liberation of the strategic Syrian city of Aleppo from the grips of foreign-backed militants once again indicated the failure of the policy pursued by the West and its regional allies in supporting terrorism.

In a meeting with Russia's special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, in Tehran on Sunday, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani said the Syrian army made valuable achievements by liberating the northwestern city from militants, adding that the gains were the outcome of initiatives by Iran, Russia, Syria and the resistance front.

The liberation of Aleppo once again exposed to judgment of the world public opinion the policies of Western countries and their regional allies in creating and sponsoring terrorism and their full political, media and military support for defeated terrorist and Takfiri groups, he added.

The SNSC secretary stressed the importance of establishing a permanent ceasefire in Aleppo and driving out terrorists from the city.

He also hailed the cooperation among Iran, Russia and Syria in the fight against terrorists and their sponsors.

“Given the increasing political and military complications of the Syria crisis and the necessity of adopting common strategies to manage the conditions faced, the expansion of consultations among the three countries’ officials at different levels is inevitable,” Shamkhani said.

Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, was fully liberated this week, less than a month after the Syrian army started to drive foreign-backed militants out of their stronghold in the eastern side of the strategic city.

Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation in Syria said in a statement on Friday that the Syrian military had wrested full control of eastern Aleppo, scoring a major victory against terrorists in the strategic city.

Tehran and Moscow support the elected Syrian government and have been assisting Damascus in its fight against terrorism.

Russia has been carrying out airstrikes on positions of Daesh and other terrorist groups in Syria since late September 2015, while Iran has been providing military advisory assistance to the Arab country.

US, Israel failed to divide Syria: Leader’s aide

Meanwhile, a senior advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that the United States and Israeli regime have failed to implement their plots in Syria and partition the Arab country.

Speaking to reporters following a meeting with Lavrentiev, Ali Akbar Velayati, the Leader’s advisor on international affairs, said the US, the Israeli regime and their allies in the region have been seeking to oust Syria's legitimate government of President Bashar al-Assad and partition the Arab country to serve the Zionists’ interests in the region.

However, the Syrian people and government managed to protect their country through resistance in cooperation with Iran, Hezbollah and the resistance front, he added.

The senior Iranian official also pointed to strategic and developing relations between Tehran and Moscow and said the two sides are expanding their ties in different political, economic and defense areas.

Iran and Russia are cooperating with each other on regional and international developments, particularly the very sensitive Syrian issue, Velayati pointed out.

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