Iran’s Raeisi: Foreign forces must end illegal presence on Syrian soil

Raeisi made the remarks on Wednesday during a meeting with Syria’s Parliament Speaker Hammouda Sabbagh, who has traveled to Tehran to attend the Iranian chief executive’s inauguration ceremony.

“The Syrian people and government heroically resisted the Hebrew-Western terrorism and achieved victory,” Raeisi said. “The remaining foreign forces must leave Syrian soil as soon as possible so that the nation can start the reconstruction process with full force quickly.”

Syria has been gripped by foreign-sponsored militancy since March 2011, with the US and its allies aiding terrorist groups.

However, Syrian government forces, backed by Iran and Russia, have managed to win back control of almost all regions from Takfiri militants.

Emphasizing the development of Tehran-Damascus political and economic relations in line with the interests of both nations, the Iranian president said, “We will continue the strong solidarity and cooperation between the two countries and there will be no restrictions on the expansion of brotherly ties.”

He also commemorated the bravery and self-sacrifice of anti-terror martyrs in Syria and the region, especially Iran’s legendary commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani.

US terrorists assassinated General Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy head of Iraq’s Hashd al-Sha’abi, and their companions by targeting their vehicles outside Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020.

General Soleimani was viewed by the world’s freedom-seeking people as the key figure in defeating Daesh, the world’s most notorious terrorist group, in the Middle East battles.

Sabbagh, for his part, said the Syrian people and government will never forget the Iranians’ support, and that the memory of General Soleimani will be immortal in the Syrians’ conscience.

Iran and Syria share the same destiny, Sabbagh said. “The pure blood of the Syrian and Iranian people is intertwined and the bond between the two nations is inseparable.”

Additionally on Wednesday, the Syrian Parliament speaker held talks with Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council.

During the meeting, Sabbagh affirmed the deep-rooted strategic relations between Syria and Iran and underlined the need for enhancing economic, trade and political ties.

He also hailed the bilateral cooperation in combating terrorism, saying that the mixing of the Iranian and Syrian blood “in the course of fighting terrorists on the Syrian ground helped achieve victories.”

He slammed the West’s double-standard policy towards Syria, complaining that the US deals with Syrian issues from the Zionist perspective.

Rezaei, for his part, stressed that Syria and Iran have combated terrorism on behalf of the whole world, appreciating the victories that the Damascus government has achieved over the scourge.

He described the current level of bilateral relations as solid and expressed the Islamic Republic’s keenness to further enhance cooperation with Syria in different fields.