The defense ministers of Iran and Syria have signed an agreement on military cooperation and reconstruction in the war-torn country, Iranian media reported on Monday.
“Syria is passing through the crisis stage and entering the reconstruction phase,” said Iran’s Defense Minister Amir Hatami, according to the Tasnim news agency.
Iranian media quoted Hatami as saying that the new understanding “will define the areas of bilateral presence, participation and cooperation.”
Hatami is on the second day of a two-day visit to Damascus, during which he held “detailed negotiations” with his counterpart Ali Abdullah Ayoub and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to Tasnim.
The “defense and technical agreement” provides for the continued “presence and participation” of Iran in Syria, Hatami added.
At the Sunday meeting, the Iranian minister praised the Syrian nation’s steadfastness in countering terrorism, adding that people in the world and region are indebted to Syria counter-terrorism efforts.
Hatami said he trusts in the Syrian nation’s ability to continue the fight against terrorists until uprooting terrorism and achieving a complete victory.
The Syrian president, for his part, welcomed the visit by the Iranian minister and his accompanied delegation.
He said Iran and Syria have strong and stable relations and all rumors and negative propaganda about the two sides’ ties will leave no impact on the firm bilateral relations between the two countries, according to Tasnim.
Source: Agencies
