Iran, Syria must step up joint efforts in face of Western economic war: President Assad

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says the recent signing of several agreements between Iran and Syria will pave the way for the two countries to boost their steadfastness in the face of an economic war being waged against them by certain Western countries.

In a meeting with Iran’s First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri in Damascus on Tuesday, Assad said Iran and Syria should make more joint efforts to thwart the plots of those countries, which are aimed at weakening the two countries, hindering their independent decision-making and breaking the will of their peoples.

He added that Iran and Syria have always stood by each other during hard times and called for Iranian state and private sectors to play a more active role in the reconstruction plans of the war-stricken country.

Assad was referring to the key economic agreements signed between the two countries on Monday in the presence of Jahangiri and Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis.

PressTV-Iran, Syria strike several economic deals

Iran and Syria sign key economic agreements focusing on trade, industry, and agriculture.

Detailing the agreements, the Iranian vice president said Monday that the two sides had come to “very important agreements on banking cooperation.” The Syrian prime minister also announced that the countries had inked a “unique” agreement enabling long-term economic cooperation.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Assad emphasized that the Syrian government and nation have put up resistance against the terrorists wreaking havoc on the country since 2011, and will continue to do so until their total elimination, hailing the support of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for the Arab country’s fight against terrorism and foreign intervention.

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Global security tied to Mideast peace: Jahangiri

The Iranian vice president, for his part, commended the Syrian government and nation for the great achievements they have made in their counter-terrorism battles.

He further said regional and international security is closely intertwined.

Had Daesh managed to establish a government in the Middle East, the Western countries would have witnessed more acts of terror, violence and inhumane crimes on their soil; therefore, the Westerners “must be grateful to Syria and the countries that have been on the frontline of the fight against terrorism,” Jahangiri added.

The war in Syria “was not against the Syrian government and nation but the entire regional security and the resistance front. It was, however, defeated thanks to the wisdom and prudence of the Syrian government and people as well as the support of this country’s friends," Jahangiri said.

The war started with the financial, intellectual and military support of the Western countries, particularly the US and some regional states, he added.

Heading a 40-member delegation, the Iranian vice president arrived in the Syrian capital on Monday on a two-day visit to hold talks with senior officials of the Arab country.

PressTV-Iran first VP in Syria for key talks

Iran's First Vice President Jahangiri arrives in Damascus to hold talks with senior Syrian officials.

Iran is a key ally of Syria. Tehran has been providing military advisory assistance to Damascus in its anti-terror fight.

In a meeting between high-ranking delegations of Iran and Syria, co-chaired by Jahangiri and Khamis on Monday, the Iranian first vice president said the Islamic Republic is honored to be spearheading the anti-terror campaign in the region while felicitating the Syrian government and nation for their achievements in the fight against terrorism.

PressTV-Iran honored to spearhead anti-terror fight: VP

Iran's First Vice President Jahangiri says the Islamic Republic is proud to spearhead the anti-terror campaign.

Iran’s vice president expressed hope that terrorists would be completely eliminated in the Middle East and said, “The international community and the Europeans should know that if it were not for the sacrifices of the Syrian government and people as well as the country's allies, Daesh terrorists … would establish a government in the region and would turn into a big and insolvable problem for global security.”

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