|
DAMASCUS, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday hailed the Iranian and Russian support to his administration, state news agency SANA reported.
Assad made the remarks during his meeting with visiting head of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, Alaedin Boroujerdi, SANA said.
The efforts exerted by Iran and Russia is highly appreciated, and the fruits of such efforts will be reaped by countries in the region and all the world, Assad said.
Assad and Boroujerdi underlined the importance of the Russian-led anti-terror coalition, which groups Iran, Iraq and Syria.
Following his meeting with Assad, Boroujerdi told a press conference that his country provides weapons and military experts to Syria and Iraq.
"Regarding our support to Iraq and Syria, such support comes upon the request of those countries, and according to our anti-terror strategy in Iran, we provide weapons and military experts to both countries," Boroujerdi said.
On the issue of sending Iranian troops to Syria, the Iranian official said his country would consider sending troops to Syria if the Syrian government requested that.
"Any further request would be studied and discussed in Iran," he said.
He added that all countries that support the anti-terror coalition led by Russia can join the efforts to battle terrorism.
In an apparent jab at a U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS), which has been striking the terror group's positions in Syria for over a year with little tangible results, Boroujerdi said countries that want to ostensibly fight terrorism with no true will must join the American coalition.
The true will to counter terrorism exists in Syria and Iraq, and the new coalition has results on the ground, he said.
Iran has emerged as a staunch regional ally of Syria in the country's long-lasting conflict.
