Syrian Premier al-Halqi hails strategic Syrian-Iranian relations

Prime Minister, Dr. Wael al-Halqi arrived in Tehran on Saturday, heading a high-level Syrian delegation to participate in the oath-taking ceremony of Iran’s new President Hassan Rohani scheduled on Sunday before the Iranian Shura Council, attended by representatives of over thirty Arab and foreign countries.

Iran’s Assistant Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdullahian, a number of Iranian officials and Syria’s Ambassador in Tehran Adnan Mahmoud received al-Halqi upon his arrival at Mehrabad airport in Tehran.

In statements to journalists at the airport, Premier al-Halqi said that Iran’s free and fair elections have shown the whole world the success of Iran’s democratic rule, a rule that “many countries in the world, which brag of being guardians of democracy, lack.”

Al-Halqi congratulated the Iranian people on this national occasion, saying “We came to Iran to join the Iranian people in their joy on the occasion of President Rohani taking the constitutional oath… We wish him success in his missions and congratulate the Iranian people and leadership for their achievements in all economic, scientific, technological and development domains that have remarkably placed Iran among the developed countries.”

The Premier thanked the outgoing Iranian administration under the leadership of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for its efforts to bolster friendship and cooperation between the two countries, affirming resolve to continue enhancing cooperation between the incoming Iranian leadership and Syria and take it to wider prospects that cement economic, trade and strategic cooperation in all spheres.

Al-Halqi hailed the strong strategic and historic relations between Syria and Iran which were established by Imam Khomeini and the late President Hafez al-Assad, saying these relations are “continuously progressing under the sound leadership of Imam Ali Khamenei and President Bashar al-Assad.”

For his part, Abdullahian said that “Iran’s foreign policy will not change with a new president taking the helm, as every president has his own special way, but this does not affect foreign policy, especially in regards to the axis of resistance spearheaded by Syria,” asserting that Syria will win the war against terrorism.

Earlier, in a speech upon taking office, Rohani affirmed that the next Iranian government will take new step to improve Iran’s standing on the international level and remove the unjust embargo imposed upon it, asserting that the Iranian presidential elections were successful thanks to the people who refuted the allegations of those who said that Iran is isolated and experiencing internal conflict and a rift between the people and the government.