A senior Iranian lawmaker says the
recent advances of the Syrian army and its allies in the northwestern
city of Aleppo are a "turning point” in the settlement of the crisis in
the Arab country.
PressTV reports:
Alaeddin
Boroujerdi, the chairman of the Iranian parliament's Committee on
National Security and Foreign Policy, made the remarks in a meeting with
Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis in Damascus on Thursday.
The Iranian legislator expressed hope that the Syrian army would emerge victorious over the foreign-backed militancy soon.
Aleppo
has been divided between government forces and militants since 2012, a
year after the conflict broke out in the Arab country.
The Syrian
forces are pushing terrorists back in militant-controlled areas of
Aleppo as part of a military operation aimed at fully liberating it from
the grip of the extremists.
Boroujerdi also criticized the
foreign sponsors of Takfiri militants, saying, "Terrorism will backfire
on its supporters who seek to hatch big plots against the entire
region.”
He also said Iran and Syria have "strategic and historical”
relations, and the Islamic Republic is assisting the Syrian people in
their fight against terrorism.
The Syrian premier, for his part,
hailed efforts by the Iranian government and nation to support the
Syrian people’s fight against terrorism.
Khamis said despite the
government's battle against terrorism, the country is cooperating with
friendly countries to restore economic stability by attracting
investment in the country and increasing production capacity.
Syria
has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. United
Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over
400,000 people have been killed in the conflict. Back in 2014, the UN
said it would no more update its death toll for Syria because it could
not verify the figures that it received from various sources.
Iran confident about victory of Syria, resistance
In
another meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem in
Damascus on Thursday, Boroujerdi said Iran is confident that Syria and
the resistance front would achieve a final victory against terrorists.
"The
Iranian government and nation will keep up their support for the Syrian
government and people,” the senior Iranian lawmaker said, adding, "This
support will continue in all fields until a [final] victory in the
battle against Takfiri terrorism and restoring security and stability
throughout Syria.”
The Syrian foreign minister, for his part, said
resistance is the only option for the Syrian government and nation in
their fight against terrorists, and that signs of an imminent victory
for the Syrian people are emerging.
Boroujerdi and Muallem also discussed ways to improve Tehran-Damascus relations.
Also on Thursday, the Iranian legislator held talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and attended a press conference.
The
senior Iranian parliamentarian arrived in Damascus on Wednesday after
his official visit to Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, where he held talks
with senior Lebanese officials, including Foreign Minister Gebran
Bassil, Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
In
Beirut, Boroujerdi also held talks with Hezbollah Secretary General
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on the latest political and security
developments in the region.
