Lebanese Daily: Assad to Visit Baghdad in 2 Months


Al-Akhbar, a Lebanese daily, issued a report on Wednesday touching upon the visits of the leaders of the countries of the region to Baghdad.

The daily added that officials of the Persian Gulf Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have visited Baghdad as they have come to realize that Iraq is determined to expand bilateral relations with Damascus.

Iraqi Premier Adil Abdul-Mahdi, during the meetings with visitors, preferred to use the term “supporters of liberation” for the Iran-Iraq-Syria axis to show his inclination to create a new balance in regional and international relations of Baghdad.

This new balance would not bar Baghdad from establishing “bold relations” with Damascus, based on the principle of the “same destiny”, Al-Akhbar quoted some of the people who had meetings with Abdul-Mahdi as saying.

The report added that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad will visit Iraq within the next two months.

The Syrian president was in Tehran during a rather surprise visit late in February.

Following the landmark trip, senior Iranian legislator Mohammad Dehqan said that President Assad’s visit of February 25 to Tehran indicated the stable situation in Syria and failure of the ISIL terrorist group and their supporters in the region.

“The visit showed internal stability in Syria, failure of the ISIL, the US and Europe in the region and Syria’s loyalty to the causes of the resistance front,” Dehqan said.

“Assad’s visit to Iran sent this message to the world that the Syrian people have won the proxy war launched by the US and its allies in the region,” he added.

Dehqan said that President Assad came to Iran to reiterate his loyalty to the Islamic Republic of Iran as a pivot of the resistance front and appreciate Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei for his supports.

Upon his arrival in Tehran, President Assad rushed to meet Ayatollah Khamenei.

During the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei praised the Syrian nation’s resistance in face of enemies’ plots, and said the key to Syria’s victory as well as the United States and its regional mercenaries’ defeat is the Syrian president and people’s resolve and resistance.

Stressing the necessity for prudence when encountering future plots, the leader said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran regards helping the Syrian government and nation as assisting the Resistance movement, and genuinely takes pride in it.”

Pointing to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s honest stance and staying by the government and the people of Syria from the beginning of the crisis, Ayatollah Khamenei added, “Syria, with its people’s persistence and unity, managed to stand strong against a big coalition of the US, Europe and their allies in the region and victoriously come out of it.”

Considering the victory of the resistance in Syria as the cause for the United States of America’s anger their desperate efforts to hatch new plots, the Supreme Leader made reference to an example and said, “The question of a buffer zone in Syria that the Americans are trying to create is one of their dangerous plots that must be firmly rejected and opposed.”

He counted the US’s plan for having an influential presence Iraq-Syria border as another example of their plots, and said, “Iran and Syria are strategic allies and the identity and power of Resistance depend on their continuous and strategic alliance, because of which, the enemies will not be able to put their plans into action.”

Ayatollah Khamenei referred to a calculation mistake that the enemies made with regard to the matter of Syria, and stated, “Their mistake was that they took Syria for some Arab states; whereas, (even) in those countries, the people’s movement was in favor of the Resistance and in fact, there was an uprising against the US and their mercenaries there.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also highlighted the need for strengthening and developing the religious relations and exchange of religious scholars between Iran and Syria. Emphasizing the importance of maintaining the spirit of resistance and enhancing the power of Syria’s nation and government, Ayatollah Khamenei addressed Syria’s president, by saying “with the resistance you manifested, you have become a hero in the Arab world; and the resistance has gained more power and dignity, thanks to you.”

Syria’s president referred to some analysis that regarded Syria as done, and said, “Iran and Syria have nations who enjoy identity and faith; and today’s achievements although gained by efforts and losses, are surely the outcomes of persistence with the movement of Resistance.

Bashar Al-Assad reminded the huge losses that some countries underwent following their surrendering to the US and stated, “Many countries were submissive to the US and thought that the US determines the world’s fate and future; however resistance by some nations disturbed this false perception.”

Referring to cases of efforts made by US and allies in the region, trying to sow discord among ethnic and religious groups in Syria, the President of Syria went on to say, “These efforts have had reverse results, and today in Syria, the Kurds and nomads have good relations with the government and even some groups that previously had some conflicts and differences with the government, are today cooperating with it, despite what the US and Saudi Arabia desired.”

Assad called strengthening the ties between Syrian and Iranian scholars as an important opportunity for countering Takfiri groups, and maintained, “Iran and Syria should continuously develop their economic relations; because developments of relations will act as an important factor in annulling the enemies’ plots against the two nations.”

Also in his meeting with Assad, President Rouhani referred to Iran’s seriousness for cooperation and helping the Syrian government in the process of reconstruction of Syria and consolidating security and peace in the country, adding, “The Islamic Republic of Iran will stand by the Syrian government and people like before.”

A senior Iranian legislator said that Assad visited Tehran on Monday to ask the country for continued support for Syria and the resistance front.

“Bashar Assad’s visit to Iran was mainly aimed at appreciating the Islamic Republic of Iran and our nation for its efforts and supports and he demanded Iran to remain beside Syria and strengthen the resistance front as this companionship leaves important effects on the regional and international scene,” member of the parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Seyed Reza Naqavi Hosseini said on Tuesday.

He noted that Iran’s assistance led to the victories in Syria and foiled the US plots.

“Syria had for years been entangled in terrorism and aggressions of countries like the US, Britain, France and the Zionist regime and they clearly interfered in Syria’s affairs and endangered Syria’s territorial integrity and the legal government’s independence,” Naqavi Hosseini said.

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