Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Sunday (May 8) during a rare visit to Tehran, Iranian television reported.
Bashar al-Assad made a brief visit to the Iranian ally during which he met, in addition to the Supreme Guide, President Ebrahim Raisi, she said.
The Syrian President's last visit to Iran dates back to February 2019.
Syria's main regional ally, Iran financially supports the power of Bashar al-Assad and has sent thousands of "volunteers" to Syria led by members of the Revolutionary Guards, the Iranian ideological army, to fight against sides of the regime at war with rebels and jihadist groups.
"Vital" relationships to be "strengthened"
Relations between Tehran and Damascus "are vital" and "we must not let them weaken, but on the contrary strengthen them as much as possible", declared Ayatollah Khamenei, according to a press release published on his site.
"While the leaders of neighboring countries hang out with those of the Zionist regime (Israel, editor's note) and drink coffee with them, the inhabitants of these (same) countries take to the streets and chant anti-Zionist slogans as on Al -Quds. This is the reality in the region today," said Ali Khamenei.
Al-Quds Day (Jerusalem, in Arabic), decreed by Iran in 1979, takes place every year on the last Friday of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting.
On this occasion, demonstrations of solidarity with the Palestinians take place in several Arab countries, some of which have established relations with Israel.
With AFP
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