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Iran calls for expansion of ties with Syria

26 July 2012 19:05 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi called for consolidation of all-out ties with Syria, Tehran Times daily reported on Thursday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Salehi made the remarks during a meeting with visiting Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Omar Ghalawanji in Tehran.

He emphasized the importance of Tehran-Damascus relations and called for the consolidation of relations in all spheres, particularly economic ties, said the daily.

Salehi said that the continued intervention of foreigners in Syria and their support for "terrorist" groups in the country is the main obstacle in the way of conducting reforms.

Commenting on the latest developments in Syria, Salehi expressed hope that the Syrian nation and government would overcome the difficulties and strengthen its position in the region and the world.

During the meeting, Ghalawanji appreciated the support of Iranian nation and government for Syria and emphasized the necessity of cementing ties between the two countries, according to the report.

Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili who is also Iran ’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary said Thursday that Iran will support Syria in the face of foreign pressures, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

Making the remarks in the meeting with Ghalawanji here in Tehran, Jalili called the relations between Iran and Syria " strategic, and announced Iran’s readiness to boost the bilateral ties in diverse areas and to further support the Syrians against the Western pressures, according to Mehr.

Ghalawanji referred to the relations between the Islamic republic and Syria as "long-term" and "strategic" and expressed his gratitude for the all-out support of the Iranian nation and government to Syria, said the report.

He said that the Western pressures and sanctions against Syria have hit more the Syrian people than the government.

Also, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi said the Syrian nation would resist firmly against conspiracies of its enemies, the official IRNA news agency reported on Thursday.

Rahimi made the remarks in a meeting with Ghalawanji in Tehran on Wednesday, said the report.

The Iranian vice president referred to the demise of a number of high ranking Syrian officials in an explosion last week and emphasized the need for preserving national unity and elevating resistance against Syria’s enemies.

Syrian "President Bashar al-Assad’s reforms process in Syria has been a very positive and constructive move and we hope in very near future the signs of defeat of the enemies and the victory of the Syrian nation would become evident," Rahimi was quoted as saying.

On Thursday, Iran and Syria signed two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on the expansion of bilateral cooperation in the fields of electricity and water, Press TV reported.

The agreements were signed here by Iran’s Energy Minister Majid Namjou and Syrian Minister of Electricity Imad Khamis and Minister of Water Resources Bassam Hanna.

According to one agreement, Iran will export 50MW of electricity at the first phase to Syria via Iraq. The figure will climb to 200MW at the next step.

Iran’s private companies will build and complete power plants in Syria and supply equipment for electricity network and distribution, according to the report.

Iranian experts will hold training courses for Syrian workforce in the field of electricity engineering.

Based on the MoUs, Iran and Syria will also bolster cooperation on ways to use modern energies.

According to the other agreement, Tehran and Damascus will cooperate to export technical and engineering services and implement projects in such areas including water and waste and dam building, said Press TV.