This undated picture shows Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. (PHOTO / CHINA DAILY)
DAMASCUS – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday stressed the need to end the presence of "illegal foreign powers" on Syrian soil, referring to the US and Turkish forces, according to the state news agency SANA.
Assad made the remarks when meeting with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdullahian, noting that the war on terror will continue until all Syrian areas are liberated.
Meanwhile, Assad and the Iranian foreign minister discussed the strategic relations between the two countries and the joint efforts exerted to put forward plans to boost cooperation in all fields.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made the remarks when meeting with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdullahian, noting that the war on terror will continue until all Syrian areas are liberated
Assad's comments came just days after Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad stressed that the Syrian army will be heading to northwestern Syria where Turkish-backed rebels are located, and to northeastern areas where US-backed Kurdish militias are positioned to restore these areas.
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The Syrian government has recently called for the need to liberate what's left in the rebel-held areas in northern Syria, urging foreign powers which entered the Syrian territories without the consent of the government to leave, such as the United States and Turkey.
During the more than 10-year war in Syria, Iran has emerged as a key regional ally, helping the Assad administration to restore key areas while providing economic assistance.
Upon arriving in Damascus earlier on Saturday, the Iranian foreign minister said that over the past few weeks, Syria and Iran have reached "important agreements" on achieving comprehensive development in relations in all fields.
He said both sides are putting forward "intensive programs" to implement cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, and tourism.
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