Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, heading a high-ranking political delegation arrived in tehran Sunday on a two-day working visit.
Upon his arrival at Mehrabad International Airport, Assad was received by Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi. He was scheduled to be officially greeted by President Mohammad Khatami at Sa`dabad Cultural Complex.
Arriving at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart, Assad was set to hold talks with senior Iranian officials on bilateral relations, regional issues and Palestine.
Iranian Charge d`Affaires to Syria Ghazanfar Roknabadi had already announced that Syrian Vice-President Abd Al-Halim Khaddam and Minister of Foreign Affairs Farouk Ash-Shara' were among the members of Assad`s entourage.
Since assuming power following his father`s demise, it is the third visit of Assad to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Syrian president also paid a short visit to Tehran in
February 2003 before the US-led war against Iraq. President Mohammad Khatami has also visited Syria three times.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi told reporters on Sunday that during Assad's meetings with senior Iranian officials, the two sides are to exchange views on various issues including bilateral relations and regional developments in general and the Iraqi and Palestinian crises in particular.
Later, following the meeting with Assad, the Iranian president that the solution for the Iraqi issue is to end the occupation, establish a popular ruling that represents all the Iraqi sects, in addition to cooperation of the international community, particularly the neighbouring countries in this regard. (albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
