Eurasia Press & News
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was in Damascus today, where he met Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad and Vice-President Farouq al-Shar’a.
During talks with al-Shar’a, Mottaki again expressed his government’s condemnation of a recent US military raid on 26 October into Syria that killed eight.
“Instead of being a show of American strength aiming to weaken Syria, this action demonstrates Washington’s own weakness and desperation,” Mottaki said.
Mottaki also expressed Iran’s “solidarity” with Syria in connection with the raid, and said that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had expressed his support during a telephone conversation with al-Assad last week.
Tehran will stand by Damascus if Syria decides to pursue the case at an international level, Mottaki told reporters today. Syria has already lodged a complaint with the United Nations Security Council.
Mottaki also delivered a message to al-Assad from Ahmadinejad on the situation in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.
Regional allies Iran and Syria last September signed a preferential trade agreement to boost trade volume and strengthen economic ties. The two Muslim states also endorsed a defense pact earlier this year.
