Call for Consolidation of Syria Truce

Damascus and Tehran reaffirmed their support for a countrywide cessation of hostilities, which has been holding in Syria for almost a month now.

During a meeting in Damascus on Thursday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iranian parliament speaker's special advisor on international affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said a successful ceasefire would pave the way for the restoration of lasting peace and stability to Syria, Press TV reported.

The two sides concurred that under the truce, the anti-terror fight will continue and conditions will be prepared for launching intra-Syrian dialogue, enabling the nation to decide its future.

Mediated by Russia and Turkey with the support of Iran, the Syria ceasefire took effect on December 30, 2016, following an agreement between Syria's warring parties.

Earlier attempts by the US to broker such a long-lasting ceasefire had failed.

During the Thursday talks, the Syrian leader hailed Iran's constructive role in backing the Syrian people in the face of terrorism and in helping find a peaceful solution to the Syria crisis.

Amir-Abdollahian said the Islamic Republic's support for Syria is rooted in strategic relations between the two nations.

"Tehran believes terrorism in Syria poses an imminent threat to the entire region," he said.

Earlier on Thursday, the Iranian official met with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem to discuss bilateral ties and latest developments in the Arab country.

They underlined the need for continued Syrian-Iranian-Russian cooperation to settle the Syria conflict based on the outcome of the latest round of peace talks in Kazakhstan.

On Wednesday, Amir-Abdollahian sat down with Syria's Parliament Speaker Hadiyeh Khalaf Abbas.

Iran has been offering military advisory support to the Syrian military, which has been battling foreign-backed militancy since 2011.