Zarif: Late Muallem defended national interests, security of Syria

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says late Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem spent his entire career in the service of his country’s national interests and security.

“During his lifetime, he played an important part in serving and defending the national interests and security of his country,” Zarif wrote in a message of condolence to head of Syria’s council of ministers on Monday.

The top Iranian diplomat told Hussein Arnous, “I would like to express my condolences to your Excellency, the family of the deceased and my colleagues in the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for this loss.”

Syria’s official news agency SANA announced on Monday that Muallem had died in the early hours of the day, and would be laid to rest later in Damascus.