The political and economic dimensions of President al-Assad’s visit to Iran

Damascus (ST): The eventful political and economic working visit by President Bashar al-Assad to the Islamic Republic of Iran included very important meetings. President al-Assad’s visit, which included an extended meeting with Mr. Khamenei and a closed one with him in the presence of the Iranian president, lasted about an hour, and two extensive meetings with President Raisi, which came in political and economic circumstances and unprecedented developments and different from the conditions of the previous visit by His Excellency three years ago to Iran.

The sources accompanying the visit  confirmed that the Iranian side was very interested in making the visit historic in the context of the relationship between the two countries politically and economically, noting that the Iranian preparations to receive President al-Assad and the busy program of the visit and the presence of senior Iranian officials concerned with common files between the two countries and the warm atmosphere indicate that this visit is the result of this moment in the relationship between the two countries and at the same time built on long years of deep and joint alliance.

During his meeting with President al-Assad, Mr. Khamenei reviewed the situation in Syria and the need to liberate the remaining occupied lands in it, saying , “The most important reason for Syria’s victory in its war is your personality and courage.” He also addressed the Palestinian issue, the resistance and the solid alliance between Damascus and Tehran.

The accompanying delegation also referred to the warm reception and the first meeting of Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi with President al-Assad, referring to the identical viewpoints in the political, principled and economic aspects.

The sources confirmed that the Iranian president’s position was decisive in that Iran’s economic support for Syria is a strong and undisputed issue, and while the two presidents were meeting, the Syrian and Iranian sides were signing a new phase of the Iranian-Syrian credit line to supply Syria with energy and other basic materials to fill the shortage in those materials.

The relationship between the two brotherly countries is built on solid political and economic foundations that cannot be cracked, but rather become more rooted and stable whenever conditions become harsh, international prices rise and energy resources decrease, so that Iran once again proves its standing by Syria through its continuous economic, political and military support for Syria.

K.Q