President al-Assad: Syria and its friends are bent on fighting terrorism

“The future of the region relies on the tripartite cooperation of Iran, Russia and Syria”, noted the official expressing hope that the collaboration will bring peace to the region.

“I think that the capacity for the Iranian people to accept casualties in Syria is greater than a couple of years ago because there is greater consensus of a need to fight what they think are all IS people”, he said.

This resolve to fight terrorism will continue despite the recent escalation by some hostile countries who, while claiming to be fighting terrorism, have beefed up funds and armaments to the terrorist gangs, President al-Assad said.

Syrian soldiers get in position during clashes with Daesh terrorists in the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria, May 17, 2015.

The Russian warplanes struck several rebel-held areas in Syria near the Turkish borders, such as the Syrian town of Harem near the al-Rihaniyeh town in Turkey, and the Sma’an Mountian in the western countryside of Aleppo, also close to Turkey, activists said.

Analysts said support for an autocratic leader such as President Assad – whose forces were responsible for numerous conflict’s more than 250,000 deaths – was not a popular cause for many Iranians.

Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with Takfiri terrorists from various groups, including the ISIL, now controlling parts of it. He said the Syrian achievements came with support from friends, mainly Iran and Russian Federation.

“Iran and Syria’s fate are interlinked; and both countries have been by each other’s side at the time of difficulties”, the Iranian official said.

Velayati and Abdullahian acquainted President al-Assad with the efforts put by Iran to the effect of propping the Syrian people’s choice and Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.