Putin and Rouhani meet in China, discuss joint efforts in Syria

Rouhani stated that Russia and Iran fill "a very important role in the region."

By MAARIV ONLINE, JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: JUNE 9, 2018 16:12
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit (SCO) in Qingdao, China June 9, 2018. (photo credit: SPUTNIK/SERGEI GUNEEV/KREMLIN VIA REUTERS)
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit (SCO) in Qingdao, China June 9, 2018.
(photo credit: SPUTNIK/SERGEI GUNEEV/KREMLIN VIA REUTERS)
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met in China on Saturday during a weekend summit of the Chinese- and Russian-led security bloc.
Rouhani spoke highly of the Russian stand during negotiations over the nuclear deal, from which the US withdrew in May this year, calling the Russian role "important and constructive."
He added that he would like to further discuss the "illegal American withdrawal" from the agreement.
Putin described Russian-Iranian cooperation in Syria as "successful," the Arabic service of the Sputnik news agency reported.
The Sputnik English service reported that pockets of ISIS fighters still operate in Syria "only in areas controlled by the US," according to Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, who delivered the statement on Saturday. 
Syrian rebel groups claim that Iranian and Hezbollah fighters returned to the Israeli-Syrian border wearing the uniforms of the Assad forces to avoid Israeli attacks, reported the Washington Post on Saturday.
The weekend summit was organized by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and held in the port city of Qingdao.