On Wednesday, in a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Iranian Foreign Minister (FM) Mohammad Javad Zarif affirmed Iran’s support for the Syrian presidential elections. Zarif also “expressed pleasure with the Syrian government’s measures to hold its presidential votes, and hoped that the elections are held successfully.”
Zarif underscored the significance of the upcoming polls in maintaining the “peace, security, and stability” in Syria and said that Iran was ready to “act as an observer” in the elections that are scheduled to be held in two weeks. Earlier this month, the Iranian top diplomat told his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad that Tehran supports Damascus in “exercising its constitutional right to hold elections.”
Last month, the Syrian parliament announced that it will hold presidential elections on May 26, which will be the second time a vote is held since civil war broke out in the country in 2011. President Bashar al-Assad, who has been in power since 2000, won the previous election in 2014 with nearly 90% of the votes. According to Syria’s 2012 constitution, a president can only serve two seven-year terms, with the exception of the president elected in 2014.
Assad’s critics have repeatedly called the country’s elections a “sham” that is intended to keep him in power. However, Iran considers Assad’s regime crucial to expanding its regional influence and is therefore keen on maintaining the status quo. Iran has trained local Syrian militias to increase its military influence in Syria and has used the country as a conduit to supply arms to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Apart from the elections, Zarif and Assad also discussed security cooperation between both countries as well as regional and international developments. Zarif stressed the role of the “Axis of Resistance” – a political alliance between Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah – in opposing “the Zionist regime’s crimes in the occupied territories against the innocent people of Palestine.” In this regard, Zarif urged international organisations, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, “to pursue the rights of the people of Palestine and the Holy Quds [Jerusalem].” Zarif’s comments come as tensions between Israel and Palestine have risen to levels not seen since 2014.
For his part, Assad agreed with Zarif’s comments and also “expressed pleasure with Iran’s support for Syria in its fight against ISIS.” The Islamic Republic has been providing logistical and technical support to Assad’s forces since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011. Iranian proxy militias like Hezbollah and the Fatemiyoun brigades have been crucial in protecting the Syrian regime from the Islamic State.
Zarif also held a separate meeting with the Syrian FM Faisal Mekdad on Wednesday, wherein both envoys discussed cooperation in various political and economic fields. Zarif praised the Syrian government’s “accomplishments in resisting the US’ economic terrorism and its anti-Syria sanctions” and said that this terrorism “is depriving the Iranian and Syrian people of COVID-19 vaccine.” Mekdad, in turn, called for increased cooperation between Tehran and Damascus in regional and international fora.
Zarif Expresses Iran’s Support for Syrian Presidential Election in Meeting With Assad
Zarif and Assad also discussed the issue of the IS, Palestine, as well as economic and cultural ties.
May 13, 2021
Iranian FM Mohammad Javad Zarif in a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus SOURCE: IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY