DAMASCUS (AFP) – Iran’s Foreign Minister welcomed during a trip to Damascus on Thursday Arab outreach to Syria’s internationally-isolated government after an earthquake struck Turkiye and the war-torn country last month.
He also said Tehran, which has backed Damascus during its 12 years of conflict, would join efforts to reconcile Syria and Turkiye, which has long supported rebel groups opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Assad has been politically isolated in the region since the start of Syria’s war in 2011, triggered by the government’s suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations, and was expelled from the Cairo-based Arab League. But since the quake, Arab leaders have made overtures to his government.
“We welcome the recent opening of Syrian relations with some countries,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said during a press conference with his Syrian counterpart.
Late last month Egypt’s foreign minister became the third top Arab diplomat to meet Assad since the February 6 quake killed more than 50,000 people in total, with nearly 6,000 dead in Syria.
Assad has also received calls and earthquake aid, which has been spearhead by the United Arab Emirates.
Analysts say Syria’s isolated government could leverage this momentum to bolster regional support.
