IRAN: SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL ASSAD WELCOMED IN TEHRAN BY NEW PRESIDENT

Record ID: 276772

  • Title: IRAN: SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL ASSAD WELCOMED IN TEHRAN BY NEW PRESIDENT
  • Date: 7th August 2005
  • Summary: (W4) IRAN, TEHRAN (AUGUST 7, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE OF IRANIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD AND SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL- ASSAD STEPPING ON TO CEREMONIAL PODIUM 0.10 2. SLV CEREMONIAL SOLDIERS PLAYING IRANIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM 0.15 3. WIDE OF WELCOME CEREMONY 0.20 4. WIDE OF IRANIAN AND SYRIAN PRESIDENT LEAVING PODI
  • Embargoed: 22nd August 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TEHRAN, IRAN
  • Country: Iran
  • Reuters ID: LVA7GE0CSHJ2I9O3X0BNLYM284MU
  • Story Text: Syrian president is greeted in Tehran by new Iranian
    president.


    Iran's new president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, called on
    Sunday (August 7) for closer cooperation with Syria in the
    face of pressure on both countries from the United States.

    The two presidents held a joint news conference in
    Tehran where Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said "many
    issues" would be discussed during his visit.

    Assad arrived earlier in the day, the first foreign
    leader to visit the Islamic Republic's new president, a
    religious conservative who took the oath of office on
    Saturday (August 6) following his surprise election victory
    in June.

    Both Tehran and Damascus, allies in the 1980-88
    Iran-Iraq war, face U.S. accusations of not making a
    serious effort to prevent insurgents from crossing into
    Iraq, charges both deny.

    Washington also accuses Iran of seeking nuclear
    weapons, while Tehran says it wants to develop its nuclear
    expertise solely to generate electricity.

    Ahmadinejad vowed on Saturday (August 6) that Iran
    would not be intimidated by Western threats.

    John Bolton, in his debut speech as U.S. ambassador to
    the United Nations, pressed Syria and Iran last week to do
    more to stem the flow of insurgents, arms and funding into
    neighbouring Iraq.

    Tehran and Damascus, both on the U.S. list of state
    sponsors of terrorism, have repeatedly said they are doing
    all they can to control their long borders with Iraq.

    Both countries are also strong backers of Lebanon's
    Hizbollah, whose leaders visited Iran earlier this month to
    congratulate Ahmadinejad on his election victory.


    jg/mt
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