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New Syrian FM holds talks in Tehran on first foreign visit

A Syrian delegation, headed by Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad, meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at Foreign Ministry in Tehran, Dec. 7, 2020.

Syria’s new Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad, who has traveled to Tehran on an official visit, has held a first round of talks with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Mekdad arrived in the Iranian capital on Sunday on his first foreign trip in his capacity as Syria’s top diplomat. He assumed the position last month after his predecessor Walid al-Muallem passed away.

Mekdad, who is in Tehran at Zarif’s invitation, is expected to discuss bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues with Iranian officials.

He will be meeting with Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), the Islamic Republic’s top security body, on Tuesday.

His talks with Iranian authorities are slated to include enhancement of mutual ties in various areas. Meeting with the Iranian security chief, Mekdad is also expected to address the most recent regional developments, including confronting terrorism in its new forms.

The Islamic Republic was the first country to rush to the Arab country’s assistance after the latter found itself in the grip of a ferocious foreign-backed militancy and terrorism in 2011.

The Iranian support has included military advisory assistance that helped Damascus defeat foreign-backed terrorist group of Daesh in 2017 following three years of uphill counterterrorism operations.

Tehran has vowed to sustain its backing for Syria’s efforts to protect its sovereignty in the face of regional and extra-regional efforts to destabilize the country and use it as a launchpad for further destabilizing regional activity.

Also on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh addressed the issue of Mekdad’s visit in a tweet that read, “Political solution is the only option that will result in resolution of the current crisis.”

تهران امروز میزبان اولین سفر خارجی وزیر خارجه جدید #سوریه است.
دستور کار: بررسی آخرین وضعیت بحران سوریه، روابط دوجانبه و همکاری‌های منطقه‌ای.
راه‌حل سیاسی، تنها گزینه ممکن برای پایان دادن به بحران جاری است.#ایران در مسیر مبارزه با تروریسم، در کنار مردم و دولت 🇸🇾 ایستاده است. pic.twitter.com/LKspaF9Dvl

— Saeed Khatibzadeh (@SKhatibzadeh) December 7, 2020

“Iran stands by the Syrian people and government on the course of fighting terrorism,” he added.


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