Iranian official in Syria: Israel does not have a future in the region
Hussein Amir Abdullahian described "the occupying regime of Israel as a destabilizing cancer and the root cause of insecurity and instability in the region."
By ROSSELLA TERCATINSyria's President Bashar al-Assad meets with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran(photo credit: SANA/REUTERS)
Syrian President Bashar Assad met in Damascus with Hussein Amir Abdullahian, the special assistant to the speaker of Iran's Shura Council for Political Affairs, the Italian news agency Ansa reported on Tuesday.According to the report, Assad reiterated his support for the Islamic republic against the "aggressive policies of the American administration."However, according to the pro-Ayatollah Iranian news agency Mehr, Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were also discussed during the meeting.Mehr quoted Abdullahian describing "the occupying regime of Israel as a destabilizing cancer and the root cause of insecurity and instability in the region," adding that "the Zionists do not have a future in the region."The Iranian official also called the peace plan promoted by the US administration "a new conspiracy to redraw the map of the region."According to the report, Assad expressed his gratitude for Tehran's backing and added that Damascus would "deepen its privileged and strategic ties with Iran."
