Faisal Mekdad, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister, who had arrived in Tehran on Sunday evening at the top of a political delegation, attended a meeting with his Iranian counterpart for Arab-African affairs Hossein Jeberi Ansari.
During the meeting of the Joint Political Committee, Iranian and Syrian deputy foreign ministers emphasized the need for simultaneous attention to all three political, security and humanitarian dimensions of the ongoing crisis in Syria.
Syria’s Deputy FM Faisal Mekdad voiced his country’s support of military operations to retake Mosul and outlined the fight against terrorism as common need for regional cooperation; “the West shows no sign of seriousness in combating terrorists and takes advantage of current conditions to pursue its interventionist objectives.
He further appreciated comprehensive backing of the Islamic Republic of Iran and, while pointing to the victories achieved in Aleppo and other Syrian regions, said “despite having access to all resources as well as foreign support, armed groups are bound to suffer from defeat.”
Iran’s Deputy FM for Arab-African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari, for his part, said the support for Syria in line with the fight against terrorism comes as the result of a strategic decision made the Iranian Leader.
The official referred to the earlier trilateral meeting among Iranian, Russian and Syrian FMs in Moscow stressing the need for regional and international cooperation to overcome current critical conditions.
Jaberi Ansari underlined the importance of military operations in Aleppo and Mosul voicing regret that certain regional and international parties are exploiting terrorism as a means of achieving their political aims and have created threats to peace and security in the region and the world.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister called for consideration of the humanitarian aspects of the Syrian crisis and referred to his negotiations with European authorities in this regard.
During the session, both sides emphasized the need to consider all three political, security and humanitarian dimensions of the Syrian crisis and exchanged views on the latest regional developments.
Mekdad’s trip to the Iranian capital comes as a follow up to Jaberi Ansari’s earlier visit to Damascus where the two parties agreed to hold a Joint Political Committee.
The Syrian official also met and conferred with the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif.
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