As reported by Nova, the president of Syria, Bashar al Assad, received the chiefs of staff of Iran and Iraq, Mohammad Hossein Bagheri and Othman al Ghanimi respectively, at the head of two large military delegations. During the meeting, which was also attended by Syrian Defense Minister Ali Abdullah Ayyoub, the latest developments in the situation on the ground in Syria were discussed and a strengthening of coordination between the three countries in the fight against terrorism was agreed. "Relations between Syria, Iran and Iraq are strong and have been consolidated during the war," Assad noted on the occasion.
Yesterday's meeting, according to the Syrian president, reflected the sharing of "principles that our countries are proud of". The Iranian general Bagheri, for his part, said that "defending Syria also means defending Iraq and Iran", since "terrorism poses a threat to all three states" and greater coordination is needed to counter it. The Iraqi Ghanimi instead highlighted how "the border between Iraq and Syria does not constitute and will not constitute an obstacle to the unity of two countries that share history, geography, tradition and destiny".
Iraqi forces, the officer added, will continue to fight terrorism along the common border in coordination with the Syrian Arab Army.