Iran (IMNA) - Raeisi made the remarks during a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Wednesday, during which the two sides praised their respective countries' resistance to years of political pressure and economic sanctions imposed by the US and Western governments.
"In fact, the Syrian people should be praised for standing up to the threats and actions of Takfiri groups and separatists who, backed by the US, Western countries, and some regional states, were attempting to disintegrate the country and foment terror," Raeisi stated.
The Syrian people, headed by the country's president, rose up and resisted, for which he congratulated the Syrian people and administration.
The Iranian president stated that countries failed to accomplish their nefarious aims in the military sector are now attempting to achieve their goals in other areas, including economic pressure and sanctions, adding, "Of course, those countries will definitely fail."
Raeisi said in reference to the official American admission of the scandalous failure of the "maximum pressure" strategy against the Islamic Republic that "the situation of Iran and Syria today is proof of the legitimacy and righteousness of the resistance and resilience of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Syria in the face of pressure."
Raeisi emphasized that the Islamic Republic has consistently expressed its support for resistance in its foreign policy, saying, "We have stood by and will stand by the Syrian government and people, both during the time when they faced Takfiri groups and now that they have severed their ties with those evil organizations and begun rebuilding Syria."
In his remarks at the joint news conference, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani emphasized the Islamic Republic's primary objective of building relations with regional nations and expelling foreign forces.
Raeisi stated, "We do not regard the presence of foreigners in the region as favorable to security. "We think that the Americans' presence in Syria not only doesn't bring about security, but also compromises the security of Syria and the surrounding countries. Syria will be more secure the sooner the Americans depart.
"We do not consider the presence of foreigners in the region to be conducive to security," added Raeisi. "We believe that the presence of Americans in Syria not only fails to create security, but also undermines Syria's and the region's security." The sooner the Americans leave Syria, the safer it will be."
Raeisi further highlighted that full sovereignty restoration in Syria is the only way to maintain security in the Arab country.
Raeisi came in Damascus on Wednesday, leading a high-level political and economic delegation. The visit is the first by an Iranian president since the Arab country was engulfed in foreign-backed terrorism in 2011.
Following the outbreak of foreign-backed violence in Syria in 2011, Iran was the first country to rush to its aid. The Islamic Republic's military advice aid helped the Arab people achieve a historic victory against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist organisation in 2017.
Earlier on Wednesday, the two presidents met in Syria's capital, emphasizing the importance of Iran-Syria's long-term cooperation plan in furthering the interests of the two countries and other countries in the region.
The two presidents signed 15 documents covering a wide range of topics, including trade, oil and energy, engineering, housing, rail and aerial transportation, free trade zones, communications and technology, earthquake relief, and pilgrimage to holy sites for the people of the two Muslim nations.
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