Syria’s al-Assad to travel to Iran on Saturday

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Feb. 16 – Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad will travel to Tehran on an official state visit on Saturday, state media reported on Friday. Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Feb. 16 – Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad will travel to Tehran on an official state visit on Saturday, state media reported on Friday.

Al-Assad will meet and hold talks with senior Iranian officials.

The main aim of the trip is to strengthen Tehran-Damascus bilateral relations in the wake of pressure exerted by the United States, the government-run news agency Mehr said.

Arabic press reports have said that al-Assad will hold talks with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Mu’allem will accompany him.

Regional allies Iran and Syria are both accused by the United States of being state sponsors of terrorism.