Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and his Iranian counterpart
Hassan Rowhani make their way prior to attending the Gas Exporting
Countries Forum, GECF, summit meeting in Tehran, Iran, Monday, Nov. 23,
2015. (AP)
By Agencies
Monday, 28 March 2016
The presidents of Russia and Iran agreed on Monday to step up
bilateral contacts, including over the Syrian conflict, in which both
countries are allies of President Bashar al-Assad.
The Syrian
government and Western-backed opposition are currently holding
U.N.-mediated peace talks as part of a diplomatic push launched with
U.S.-Russian support to end the five-year conflict in which more than a
quarter of a million people have been killed.
The Kremlin said
President Vladimir Putin and Iran’s Hassan Rowhani had exchanged views
on the conflict and a range of other topical issues during a telephone
call. It gave no further details.
Rowhani was quoted as saying cooperation and coordination between Tehran and Moscow were essential for peace in Syria.
“During the ceasefire, the political talks (among Syrian groups) should
be accelerated but this should not halt the fighting against terrorists
in Syria,” Iran’s state news agency IRNA quoted the president as
saying.
Both the Kremlin and the secretary of the Iranian
National Security Council (NSC) have congratulated Assad on the success
of his forces in recapturing the desert city of Palmyra from Islamic
State militants.
Ali Shamkhani, secretary
of the Supreme National Security Council, sent a message to Assad to
congratulate him on Sunday’s “admirable and honorable” win over ISIS.
Iran’s
government and its armed forces “will continue to provide Syria with
their full support” against the jihadists, Shamkhani said, according to
the official news agency IRNA.
Iran
provides financial and military support to Assad through its elite
Revolutionary Guards, notably sending “military advisers” and
volunteers” to fight alongside the Syrian army.
Guards
chief Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said “the situation in Syria is
very good” after the recapture of Palmyra, Fars news agency reported.
Foreign
ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari also lauded Syria’s victory and
said that Tehran will continue to back the Assad regime and other
governments battling extremism.
“Iran’s
support continues for the fight against terrorism in Syria, Iraq and
countries exposed to this threat,” Ansari told Iran's Arabic-language
Al-Alam television.
“Syria will march
forward strongly in the fight against terrorism and the terrorists
definitely won't have a place in the future of the region,” he added.
Syrian troops ousted the militants from the ancient city on Sunday almost a year after they had seized it.
(With Reuters, AFP)
Last Update: Monday, 28 March 2016 KSA 17:22 - GMT 14:22