Roundup: Iran vows all-out support for Syrian government against terrorism

Iran will continue its unwavering support for Syria in the fight against terrorism, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said here on Tuesday, according to Tasnim news agency.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran will keep assisting Syria in the fight against terrorism and in the establishment of security in the region," Rouhani said at a meeting with the visiting Speaker of the People's Council of Syria Hadiya Khalaf Abbas.

Such a support for Syria is based upon Iran's deeply-held belief that terrorism is a serious threat to the region and the world, he was quoted as saying.

Iran also supports territorial integrity of regional countries, including Syria, and is against any change in the borders across the region, he said.

For her part, the Syrian speaker hailed Iran for backing Syria since the outset of civil crisis in 2011.

The Syrian nation is the only entity entitled to decide the fate of their country, Abbas said, adding that if the big powers want to help the Syrians, they'd better to stem terrorism out of the country.

Abbas arrived in Tehran on Monday at the invitation of Iranian Parliament (Mjlis) Speaker Ali Larijani.

Last week, Rouhani rebuffed the U.S. no-fly zone proposal over Syria, saying that only the terrorist groups would benefit from the enforcement of a no-fly zone over the country.

Besides, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani on Tuesday criticized what he called double standards of the United States and the West in the fight against terrorism in Syria, semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

Shamkhani also blamed the United States for its alleged political and military support for terrorist groups in Syria.

The main reason for the failure of political and diplomatic initiatives, and even ceasefire opportunities, for Syria is to avoid accepting the terrorist nature of many armed groups and extremists by the United States and its allies, Shamkhani made the remarks in a meeting with Abbas.

He hailed the recent victories of the Syrian government and armed forces, as well as the Syrian people's resistance against terrorists and their supporters.

Shamkhani underlined that the future of Aleppo and other Syrian lands will be determined solely through powerful confrontations with the terrorist groups.

Besides, the only way to end the current crisis in Syria is political dialogue among the Syrian political groups, he said, adding that "strong will of the Syrian people will determine the future of the country."

Abbas, for her part, appreciated Iran's humanitarian and advisory aids to Syria to confront terrorism and to defend towns and villages, saying that "if some Arabic countries had taken honest approaches to solve Syria's crisis, we would never have faced such a critical situation in the region today."

"Syria is gaining victories in different fronts everyday, and every victory marks a step closer to overcoming the crisis," she stressed.

On Monday, Iran's Majlis speaker Ali Larijani held some regional countries and world powers liable for the ongoing crisis in Syria, saying that terrorism must be fought in practice and on the ground and not on paper, according to Press TV.

"The fight against terrorism will not be possible through statements and genuine measures must be carried out in practice," Larijani said in a meeting with Abbas.

He criticized Saudi Arabia for what he said its support for some militant groups in Syria, adding that "Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia has created many problems in the region and is not behaving correctly."

The Islamic republic has always contended that the crisis in Syria can be solved through political approaches, he said.

Larijani reiterated Iran's support for Syria in its fight against terrorism and restoring security in the country.

"Iran and Syria, as two important and major countries in the region and the Muslim world which enjoy rich civilizations and history, have profound and strategic ties," he stressed.

Also, Abbas said that the U.S. recent airstrikes against the Syrian army indicated Washington's support for terrorism and that the United States is pursuing double-standard policies in Syria.

Iran, a major regional ally of the Syrian government in its fight against militant groups, has repeatedly acknowledged the presence of its military advisers in the Arab state.

Iran, a major regional ally of the Syrian government in its fight against militant groups, has repeatedly acknowledged the presence of its military advisers in the Arab state.

Reportedly, the five-year conflicts in Syria have claimed the lives of nearly 500,000 people, injured two million, and displaced over 20 million others. Endit