Syria's Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ali Ayoub (2nd R) and his Iranian counterpart Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri (3rd R) hold a press conference in Damascus, capital of Syria on Oct. 18, 2017. Both agree to boost military cooperation between the two countries. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani)
DAMASCUS, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Syria's Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ali Ayoub agreed Wednesday with his Iranian counterpart Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri to boost military cooperation between both countries.
Meeting in Damascus, both commanders discussed the achievements made in fighting terrorist groups in Syria, according to state news agency SANA.
"We held plenary talks which included a comprehensive assessment of all the current developments, and we discussed in details the relations binding our armies and the mutual desire to enhance these relations," Ayoub said in a joint press conference following the talks.
He stressed that the war against terrorism will continue till eliminating it completely and restoring security and stability to entire Syria.
Ayoub, meanwhile, pointed out to the "accumulating experience" of the Syrian army and its allies that has been achieved during the battles, saying such experience will play a "key role" in the war against terror.
Bagheri said Iran will continue to support the Syrian government and military forces in the face of the terror groups.
"We are here in Damascus to coordinate and cooperate in facing our common enemies of Zionists and terrorists," Bagheri said, adding that "we discussed means of enhancing relations in the future and outlined the bilateral cooperation."
The Iranian official's visit to Syria came just days after Israel fired multiple rockets on a Syrian military base in the countryside of Damascus.
At the time, Israel said it was reacting after the Syrian air defense shot on Israeli warplanes in the Lebanese airspace.
The Syrian army, however, said the Israeli warplanes infiltrated the Syrian airspace.
Israel made it clear that it will not tolerate more Iranian influence in Syria, especially near its borders, and thus hit several military positions, claiming they contained Hezbollah-bound weapon shipments.
