Assad vows to preserve resistance as strategic choice

The two sides discussed a wide range of issues during the meeting on Tuesday, including the crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip as well as the need to end the crimes of Israel against the Palestinian people.

"Resistance against the occupiers in all its forms will remain in place as the basic principle and strategic option and as the right way to confront the enemies," President Assad said in the meeting.

"Whenever the Zionist regime gets closer to defeat against the resistance, it increases the severity of its bloody crimes against the Palestinian nation," the Syrian president said.

"The relations between Iran and Syria will remain deep and strategic, because they are based on solid principles and common and honest interests," the acting Iranian foreign minister said, for his part.

Bagheri Kani is in Syria on the second leg of his regional tour after visiting Lebanon. The Iranian minister earlier said one of the main goals of his regional tour is to boost synergy among resistance groups in their confrontation with Israel.

Earlier in the day, the top Iranian diplomat said Israel is the root cause of instability in the region.

He made the remarks at a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad.

He said Iran and Syria are close allies and are considered the main pillars of stability and security in the region.

"Iran and Syria are proud to have cooperated for more than four decades and they know that the cause of instability in the region is the occupation and the Zionist regime," Bagheri said.

The Iranian minister placed a premium on the continuation of strategic relations between the two countries.

He said Iran stands by Syria in the fight against terrorism.

Mekdad, for his part, said Syria will continue supporting resistance groups in the region.

"During the visit of the martyred president of Iran (Ebrahim Raeisi) to Syria, we emphasized strengthening the relations between the two countries," the top Syrian diplomat said.

"These relations are strategic. Therefore, we insist on deepening the relations between Iran and Syria, as well as connecting other Arab countries, and we have declared our readiness for this path to continue."

MNA