TEHRAN, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Kham Khamenei on Wednesday hailed Iran-Russia cooperation in the fight against terrorist groups in Syria, Press TV reported.
The solution of the Syria crisis requires continued cooperation between Tehran and Moscow, Khamenei said in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Tehran on Wednesday.
Iran and Russia cooperation in the fight against the terrorist groups, backed by certain countries, has had important outcomes, making Russia an "influential" player in the developments of West Asia, he was quoted as saying.
"The defeat of U.S.-led coalition supporting terrorists in Syria is an undeniable reality, but they keep hatching plots," he said.
Khamenei noted that the Syrian people are the ultimate decision-makers regarding their country's issues.
All issues pertaining to the Damascus government should be solved based on intra-Syrian efforts, and the Syrian government should not be "pressured" into implementing "any plans," he added.
Khamenei stressed the need for regional countries to resolve their issues without foreign interference, saying "Americans seek to interfere in all issues of the region and the world."
Putin described Iran as "a strategic partner" and a "great neighbor," stressing that Russia welcomes expansion of bilateral relations.
Also, Putin hailed Iran-Russia cooperation in the war against terrorism in Syria, calling for "a suitable political process to be considered in the Arab country."
"We proved to the world that we are able to resolve our region's highly important issues without (any help from) extra-regional countries," he said.
Putin is visiting Iran to attend the tripartite summit of Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan.
