Azeri, Swiss, South African Presidents Due in Tehran

Local Editor

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said presidents of Azerbaijan, Switzerland, and South Africa will be visiting Tehran in the next few days to hold talks with senior Iranian officials.

Speaking at his daily press conference on Monday, Hossein Jaberi Ansari announced that Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev will pay an official visit to Tehran on Tuesday.

Switzerland's President Johann Schneider-Ammann, and president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, are also expected in the Iranian capital on February 27 and 29 respectively, he added.

Jaberi Ansari said that the visits by the heads of state from the three continents of Africa, Asia, and Europe mark a new era in diplomatic relations between the Islamic Republic and other countries.

He expressed hope that the exchange of views between Iranian officials and the three presidents would serve the interests of the Islamic Republic and other countries.

Elsewhere, Jaberi Ansari strongly denounced Sunday's deadly bombing attacks in a suburban area of the Syrian capital, Damascus, which claimed the lives of at least 83 people and injured 178 others.

The blasts rocked al-Tin Street in Sayeda Zeinab neighborhood, where the holy shrine of the granddaughter of Prophet Mohammad [PBUH] is located.
The "ISIS" Takfiri group claimed responsibility for the attacks, according to Amaq news agency, which supports the terrorists.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran clearly and explicitly condemns all terrorist operations against innocent people," including the recent deadly bombings in the Damascus neighborhood, Jaberi Ansari said.

The Iranian official stressed that fighting terrorist groups is vital for any solution to the Syrian crisis.

"The success of any solution to Syria crisis is tied to fighting terrorism and stopping of financial and military assistance to them," he said.

He further warned that terrorist groups are trying to disrupt any attempt to reach a ceasefire in Syria.

Commenting on Iran's possible military aid to Lebanon after Saudi Arabia suspended its multi-billion aid package for the Lebanese army, Jaberi Ansari said, "No official request has yet been made on part of the Lebanese government" in this respect.

He added that the Islamic Republic had earlier announced its preparedness to provide the Lebanese army with such assistance.

The spokesman said Iran views the Lebanese army as a "symbol of national unity" and a front "against terrorism and its spread."

Iran generally supports the Lebanese government and army and any request from the Lebanese side will be considered, he noted.

Back in October 2014, Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said the country had prepared a series of military items to be dispatched to Lebanon as a gift to help the Arab country in fighting against the Takfiri terrorists, adding that the military aid would be delivered upon Beirut's request.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia announced it would suspend a $3 billion package to the Lebanese army as well as the remainder of a $1 billion in aid to its internal security forces.

The $3-billion package was announced in 2013 so that Lebanon could buy military equipment from France. The first shipment of French weapons and military equipment had already been delivered to Lebanon in April 2015 under the Saudi-funded deal to bolster the Lebanese army's fight against Takfiri militants encroaching from neighboring Syria.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team