“Syria has been always the strategic depth and one of the pillars of support for the axis of resistance against the Quds occupying regime (Israel), and no Palestinian should lose such strategic opportunity (for reinforcing the resistance) with incorrect assessment,” Larijani said at a meeting with Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement Ramadan Abdullah Shalah in Tehran on Wednesday.

Deploring the policy that certain Palestinians adopted on the crisis in Syria, the Iranian speaker slammed attempts to weaken Syria as a “strategic mistake”, warning that any harm to Palestine-Syria ties will only benefit the Zionist regime of Israel.

The Palestinian groups that turned against Syria and the axis of resistance have gained nothing, but have only served Israel’s interests, Larijani noted.

He further reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to supporting Palestine, stressing that the issue should not slip into oblivion.

For his part, Abdullah hailed Iran as the only Islamic country that has never shifted its stance on Syria and has kept supporting the Palestinian nation’s interests.

Denouncing Israel’s plots to disintegrate Muslim states, including Syria and Iraq, the Palestinian official said regional crises have been imposed from outside the region.

In his visit to Iran, Abdullah had a meeting on Tuesday with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who underlined that restoration of Palestinians’ rights should be the top issue on agenda of Middle Eastern and Muslim countries.

Zarif, in separate telephone conversations with Lavrov and Cavusoglu, discussed the issues of ceasefire and humanitarian aid in Aleppo, as well as the latest developments across the Arab country.

The battle of Aleppo ended on Tuesday, as Takfiri militants and the Syrian government agreed to a ceasefire that would ensure opposition fighters’ exit from the city.

After more than four years of clashes and months of siege, the fight for Syria’s once largest city came to an end in what UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon called “a total uncompromising military victory” by government forces.

The Iranian foreign minister and his Russian opposite number also exchanged views on the implementation of last year’s nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers as well as the United States’ lack of commitment to the international agreement.

Earlier this month, the US Senate voted 99-0 to extend the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) for another decade.

The bill was passed by the House of Representatives nearly unanimously in November, and congressional aides said they expected Obama would sign it.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned that implementation of ISA will constitute a “clear and flagrant violation of the JCPOA” and draw a “very harsh reaction” from Tehran.

In a telephone conversation with Assad on Wednesday, Rouhani said Aleppo’s liberation was an important step towards Syria’s ultimate victory over terrorism in the Arab country.

Syrian forces have almost completed the liberation of Aleppo, with militants having surrendered most of their remaining territory. Hundreds of foreign-backed militants have laid down arms in Aleppo in the past 24 hours. Almost 6,000 civilians have also left militant-held districts of the northwestern Syrian city over the past day.

Rouhani reaffirmed Iran’s support for Syria’s anti-terror battle and said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran will stand by the Syrian government and nation until terrorists are fully forced out of the country.”

“We consider it our duty to support the flag-bearers of the fight against Takfiri terrorism, who are trying to purge their homeland of aggressors,” Rouhani said, describing the victory in Aleppo, Syria’s second largest city, as a great achievement by “the united Syrian nation” against the terrorists and their sponsors.

He also expressed Iran’s readiness to send more humanitarian aid to Syria, including the city of Aleppo, and said it was highly urgent to rush to the help of the “oppressed Syrians.”

“Today marks a great test for all countries advocating human rights. The international community’s assistance to displaced Syrians and those affected by the war is a priority for all after Aleppo’s liberation,” he said.

The Syrian president, for his part, commended Iran’s unwavering support for his country and said Syrians will not forget the Iranian nation and government, who stood by Syria during its hardest times.

“We believe that Muslim countries should reinforce each other and avoid division against the wishes of enemies,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in a meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Tehran on Wednesday.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution complained that the low level of economic exchanges between Iran and Indonesia was not proportionate to the great potential of the two countries and emphasized, “By determining [clear-cut] time intervals, the volume of [bilateral] economic exchanges must increase to such figures as 20 billion dollars [a year].”

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei said the ongoing conflicts in the West Asia region were imposed from outside on the basis of external evil goals.

Praising the positions adopted by Indonesia on the issue of Palestine, the Leader said, “Many of these crises have been created with the goal of causing the most difficult crisis in the region and the most important issue of the Islamic world, i.e. [the issue of] Palestine, to be forgotten while this issue must not be allowed to be forgotten.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said, “Today, the political positions of Indonesia and the Islamic Republic of Iran in international bodies are close to each other.”

During the meeting, which was also attended by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, the Indonesian president expressed the interest of his fellow countrymen in the Islamic Republic of Iran while mentioning expansion of economic relations, especially in the field of energy, as the main goal of his Tehran visit.

Widodo also touched upon the issue of Palestine, saying, “Indonesia considers itself committed to the issue of Palestine and we are serious and active in supporting the rights of the Palestinian people.”