Al-Halqi hails strategic Syrian-Iranian relations

Prime Minister, Dr. Wael al-Halqi arrived in Tehran on Saturday heading a high-level Syrian delegation to participate in the oath-taking ceremony of the Iran's new President Hassan Rohani scheduled on Sunday before the Iranian Shura Council, attended by representatives of over thirty Arab and foreign countries. Iran's Assistant Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdullahian and a number of Iranian officials received al-Halqi upon his arriving at Mehrabad airport in Tehran. In statements to journalists at the airport, Premier al-Halqi said that Iran's free and fair elections have shown the whole world the success of Iran's democratic rule that many countries in the world, which brag of being guardians of democracy, lack.'' Al-Halqi congratulated the Iranian people on this national occasion, saying ''We came to Iran to join the Iranian people in their joy on the occasion of President Rohani taking the constitutional oath...We wish him success in his missions and congratulate the Iranian people and leadership for their achievements at all economic, scientific, technological and development domains that have remarkably placed Iran among the developed countries.'' The Premier thanked the outgoing Iranian administration, under the leadership of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for its efforts to bolster friendship and cooperation between the two countries, affirming resolve to continue to enhance cooperation between the incoming Iranian leadership and Syria and take it to wider prospects that cement economic, trade and strategic cooperation in all spheres. Al-Halqi hailed the strong strategic and historic relations between Syria and Iran established by Imam Khomeini and the late President Hafez al-Assad, that are ''continuously progressing under the sound leadership of Imam Ali Khamenei and President Bashar al-Assad.'' For his part, Abdullahian said that ''Iran's foreign policy will not change with a new president taking the helm, as every president has his own special way but this does not affect foreign policy, especially as regards the axis of resistance, spearheaded by Syria which will win the war against terrorism.''