Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif expressed his support for the "Astana Process" during a meeting with his Syrian counterpart Faisal al-Meqdad in Tehran Monday.
The Iranian minister voiced his satisfaction with the continuation of the political process in Syria in the Astana formula and described the recent refugee conference held in Damascus last month as positive.
According to the official Iranian news agency, IRNA, Zarif and Meqdad "reviewed during the meeting various bilateral, regional and international issues, in addition to the two countries' cooperation in combating terrorism."
They also affirmed their "desire to expand and strengthen the growing and strategic ties, as well as the means to develop bilateral economic cooperation between Tehran and Damascus.”
For his part, Zarif began his speech at the meeting by commemorating the memory of former Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem. He also congratulated his successor, Meqdad, affirming his "readiness for comprehensive cooperation with his new Syrian counterpart."
IRNA said that while referring to regional developments during the recent period, the Iranian foreign minister stressed the need to remain vigilant and additionally share visions between Iran, Syria, and other countries. For his part, Meqdad offered condolences "in the name of President Bashar Assad to the Iranian government and people for the killing of the scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, and the leader of (Quds Force) Qassem Soleimani." The Syrian FM praised Tehran's sustainable and supportive stances for Syria in the field of combating terrorism and extremism.
IRNA added that while affirming his country's will to continue fighting terrorism, Meqdad noted the importance of joint cooperation between Tehran and Damascus in this regard, stressing that this constitutes an essential step towards the return of peace and stability to Syria.
Meqdad’s visit to Tehran is his first foreign trip since he was appointed foreign minister last month after the death of Muallem.
Last month, Zarif spoke by phone with Mekdad to congratulate him on his appointment as the foreign minister of Syria.
During the phone call, the top Iranian diplomat underlined the continuation of strategic cooperation between Tehran and Damascus.
Meqdad started a career at the Syrian Foreign Ministry in 1994, and has been deputy foreign minister since 2006.
On Nov. 28, the Syrian FM accused Israel and “those who supported it” of being behind the killing of Iran’s top nuclear scientist, an act he said would only fuel more tensions in the region.
Meqdad was quoted by state media as telling the Iranian envoy in Damascus that Syria was confident Iran would confront what he called the “terrorist act” behind the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the country’s top nuclear scientist.
