Iran, Syria hail triumph in face of US plots

The remarks were made during a meeting between President Hassan Rouhani and the visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem in Tehran on Wednesday.

Rouhani congratulated Syria on its triumph in the fight against terrorism, saying, “We have no doubt that your victory in the face of a grand plot in the region led by the US and some other countries is a triumph for both the Syrian nation and the entire region.”

Muallem, for his part, said Iran had proven to be capable of defeating US plots thanks to its conviction and steadfastness.

“Undoubtedly, the Islamic Republic’s success in defeating such plots is a great victory for the entire region, including Syria,” he noted.

The Iranian president praised bilateral ties as “stronger than ever,” but said the two sides still needed to enhance their cooperation towards eliminating the remaining problems facing the Arab country.

Rouhani said the establishment of complete stability and security in Syria constituted one of Iran’s important regional and foreign policy objectives.

The Syrian top diplomat said the Syrian government and people were grateful to Iran for its unstinting assistance in the war on terrorism, support for Syria’s territorial integrity, and opposition to foreign occupation.

Tehran has been lending military advisory support to Damascus since 2011, when the Arab nation found itself in the grip of militancy and terrorism fueled and funded by the US and some of its Western and regional allies.