damascus, Syria: Iran’s Ebrahim Raisi will make his first go to to Damascus as president on Wednesday, amid rising regional cooperation between the 2 allies. This is the primary go to by an Iranian chief for the reason that begin of the Syrian civil conflict.
Iran has supported Syria economically, politically and militarily throughout its 12-year civil conflict, serving to Damascus regain misplaced floor and holding Iran in vital positions as President Bashar al-Assad tries to deal with reconstruction. I’ve put myself ready.
The go to comes amid a flurry of Middle East diplomacy as regional relations with Iran and Syria change, simply weeks after Iran reached a historic settlement to revive ties with regional foe Saudi Arabia. I used to be disillusioned.
Raisi and Assad will focus on “bilateral relations, widespread financial and political points, and the constructive improvement of the area.” AFP Quoted by Syrian state information company Sana As you say.
The Damascus space the place the Iranian embassy is situated has been making ready for Raisi’s go to for a number of days, and the concrete fence in entrance of the embassy has been eliminated.
According to Iranian state media, the Iranian president will lead a senior “financial and political delegation” on a two-day go to at Assad’s invitation.
The final Iranian president to go to Damascus was Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in September 2010, however Assad has made two official visits to Tehran for the reason that outbreak of the conflict, the final in May 2022.
Osama Danura, a Damascus-based analyst, stated the go to “opens a brand new web page within the shut ties between the 2 nations.”
He famous that Iran is “strongly asserting itself as a contributor to the restoration section,” including that it “can deal with a long-term financial technique.”
anticipated transaction
Syria’s conflict has claimed greater than 500,000 lives, displaced thousands and thousands and destroyed the nation’s infrastructure and trade.
Large areas of territory stay outdoors of presidency management.
Syria’s pro-government Al-Watan newspaper reported that “quite a few agreements and memorandums” have been anticipated to be signed throughout Raisi’s go to, together with one on “power and electrical energy.”
The paper added that there would even be “discussions on a brand new Iranian mortgage facility for Syria geared toward investing within the energy sector” within the nation, the place energy outages can final for round 20 hours a day.
In January 2019, Syria and Iran signed 11 agreements and memorandums of understanding, together with a “long-term strategic financial cooperation” settlement.
Tehran and Damascus stay beneath heavy Western sanctions.
Analyst Danura stated the environment within the area, with Saudi Arabia and Iran rising nearer, made Raisi’s go to “extra acceptable.”
Assad hopes that full normalization of relations with the rich Gulf monarchies and different Arab states can even assist finance reconstruction.
In April, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan grew to become the primary Saudi official to go to Damascus for the reason that begin of the conflict.
On the bottom, Iranian-backed teams comparable to Lebanon’s Hezbollah proceed to strengthen Assad’s forces, however Iran says it is just sending navy advisers to Syria.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kani stated this week that “the battle in opposition to terrorism is among the profitable examples of cooperation between our two nations.”
“We have been with the Syrian state in the course of the troublesome instances brought on by the coordinated assaults of transnational terrorists… and we will likely be with the Syrian state in the course of the building interval,” he added.
Damascus considers all those that oppose it to be “terrorists.”
Analyst Danura stated he anticipated relations between Syria and Turkey to even be mentioned.
The Iranian authorities is taking part in four-party talks with Damascus, Moscow and Ankara, aiming to restore Syrian-Turkish relations that have been divided firstly of the civil conflict.
Based on opinions from brokers