Syria’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Walid Moallem passed away at dawn on Monday at the age of 79, the government announced.

“The Presidency of the Cabinet and the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry have mourned the death of Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem who passed away on Monday at dawn,” SANA news agency reported.

He “will be escorted on Monday afternoon from al-Shami Hospital to his final resting place in al-Mezzeh cemetery,” the agency added.

Born in Damascus in 1941, Al-Moallem studies at public schools in Syria and joined Cairo University, where he graduated from it in 1963 with a B.A. in economics.

Started his career as a diplomat in 1964, the veteran diplomat had been foreign minister since 2006 and deputy PM since 2012.

In press conferences, he was known for his mocking stances against the West, whom he accused of conspiring to start the Syrian war.

Source: Agencies