Iranian and Syrian delegations have signed 15 cooperation agreements in the presence of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad in Damascus.






Among the agreements signed on Wednesday, the most important one was a document entitled "comprehensive plan of strategic and long-term cooperation of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Syrian Arab Republic" which authorities from both sides said will serve the interests of the two nations as well as other countries of the region.

“Many regional and extra-regional changes have failed to impact the brotherly relations between the two countries and Iran and Syria proved they were right in their positions,” President Raisi said in remarks after a meeting with Assad and before ministers from the two sides signed the agreements.

During the meeting, President Assad stressed that the Syrian government and people will not forget the support of their Iranian brothers, adding that Iran should have an effective presence in establishing lasting peace in Syria and in efforts to rebuild the country after years of war.

Pilgrimage and banking agreement

Pointing to one of agreements signed between Tehran and Damascus on pilgrimage, Iranian Minister of Road and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash said on Wednesday that some 50,000 Iranian pilgrims will be able to visit the holy shrines of Hazrat Zeynab (SA) and Hazrat Ruqayya (SA) every year, an average of 1,000 pilgrims per week.

Bazrpash said three to five regular weekly flights between Iran and Syria will be launched within the next two months to carry the pilgrims to the Arab country.

He said that a joint bank and an insurance company will be launched by Iran and Syria to provide services to businesses from the two countries.

President Raisi arrived in Syria on Wednesday morning for a historic visit amid deepening relations between the two key members of the regional resistance alliance against the Zionist regime.

After his arrival in the Syrian capital Damascus, President Raisi was officially welcomed by President Assad in the People’s Palace.

Four government ministers, Central Bank of Iran governor, Raisi’s chief of staff, and his chief political advisor accompany him during the visit to Syria.

Raisi is in Syria at an official invitation from President Assad. The visit is the first visit by an Iranian president to Syria in 12 years.

By IRNA