Tehran, (SANA) – President Bashar al-Assad sent a verbal message to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran on the bilateral relations and the developments in the region.

The message was conveyed by Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem during a meeting with President Ahmadinejad on Wednesday.

During the meeting, President Ahmadinejad appreciated the level to which relations between the two countries have reached and the continued coordination with President al-Assad, expressing his agreement with the Syrian viewpoints regarding the issues discussed.

The Iranian President underlined the important role of Damascus and Tehran in helping find solutions to problems in the Middle East. For his part, Minister al-Moallem underlined the depth of the Syrian-Iranian relations and the growing development in various fields which positively reflects on the interest of the two countries.

Al-Moallem stressed the necessity of continuing coordination between the two countries concerning regional issues to achieve security and stability in the Middle East.

The meeting was attended by Assistant Vice President Mohammed Nassif, Assistant Foreign Minister Ahmad Arnous, the Syrian Ambassador in Tehran and head of the Special Bureau Department at the Syrian Foreign Ministry.

Earlier, Minister al-Moallem held official talks with his Iranian counterpart Manuchehr Mottaki at the Iranian Foreign Ministry HQ on prospects of development in relations between the two countries, particularly in economy and joint investments.

Both sides discussed the situation in the occupied Palestinian lands and the dangerous developments there as a result of the Israeli policies against the Palestinian people, particularly the attempts to judize Jerusalem and "swallowing it" in addition to the unfair siege imposed on Gaza Strip.

Viewpoints were identical on the necessity for the UN to assume its responsibilities towards Goldstone report which uncovered the Israeli heinous violations against the Palestinians during the aggression on Gaza.

Both sides discussed the situation in Iraq, pointing out to the necessity of keeping its territorial integrity, stability and achieving national reconciliation among all Iraqis.

On Lebanon, the two sides underlined support to the agreement the Lebanese are seeking for leading to the formation of a national unity government as soon as possible.

During a joint press conference with Minister al-Moallem, Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki said "Syria and Iran have good relations from the past that aim at focusing on the occasions and consolidating ties in the political, economic and cultural fields and these relations have always been on a good level."

"Now the two countries are taking good and constructive steps and they are partners for ensuring their interests and our cooperation is constant," Mottaki added.

The Iranian Foreign Minister pointed out that he discussed with Minister al-Moallem the situations in Yemen, saying "We have agreed on the importance of Yemen's security and stability and we underscored this topic where deliberations focused on the way of providing aid for solving these issues in Yemen."

With regard to the ship that was intercepted by Israeli gunboats and led to the occupied Palestine and the allegations of Zionist officials that it was carrying arms from Iran to Syria, Minister al-Moallem said "Unfortunately there are official pirates on the seas hindering the existing trade movement between Syria and Iran."

"These pirates pass themselves either as a fleet or vessel inspectors and this ship doesn't carry Iranian arms for Syria and doesn't contain any military materials for manufacturing arms in Syria, but it carries imported goods from Iran to Syria." The Syrian Foreign Minister added.  

Minister al-Moallem also met Saeed Jalili, Secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council, who briefed him on the developments of the Iranian nuclear file, particularly the negotiations and answers of Iran to the western proposals.

Viewpoints were in agreement on the necessity of guaranteeing the right of countries to get nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Talks between the two sides dealt with bilateral relations and means of enhancing them in all domains.

Ismael Al Kazhali / Ruaa AL-Jazaeri/ Kh. Aridi/ Fadi Allafi/ Mazen Eyon