Ayatollah Khamenei noted that special position of Syria in the region is also due to this unique identity.
The Leader expressed gratitude for President Assad’s presence in Tehran to offer condolences to the Iranian nation, noting the significant role of late President Raisi in strengthening the Iran-Syria relations.
Ayatollah Khamenei assessed the enhancement of the Iran-Syria relations as crucial, given that both countries are pillars of the Axis of Resistance.
He recalled that Syria’s unique identity, which is resistance, was established during the era of the late Hafez al-Assad and the foundation of the “Front of Resistance and Steadfastness.”
The Leader emphasized the necessity of maintaining this identity, pointing out that Western powers and their regional proxies aimed to overthrow Syria’s political system and eliminate it from regional equations through war but failed.
Praising President Assad’s firm stance, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that everyone should witness the Syrian government’s special advantage, which is resistance.
He highlighted the political and economic pressures exerted by the US and Europe on Iran and Syria and stressed the need for increased and organized cooperation to overcome these challenges.
During the meeting, President Bashar al-Assad also extended condolences to the Leader, the government, and the people of Iran on the demise of late President Raisi and his companion.
Addressing Ayatollah Khamenei, he described the Iran-Syria relations as strategic, guided by the Leader’s directives.
President Assad also discussed the resistance in the region, stating that after more than 50 years, the resistance movement has advanced and become both a political and ideological approach.
He stressed that any retreat in the face of the West leads to their advancement, reiterating that the cost of resistance is less than the cost of compromise.
He noted that such a truth is now clear to the Syrian people, and the recent events in Gaza and the victories of the resistance have proven this to the people of the region, demonstrating that resistance is fundamental.
