Iran welcomes détente between Syria, Arab countries, says US naturally worried

Iran said the reestablishment of relations between Syria and other regional Arab countries will benefit both sides, and this is why the US is very concerned about this issue.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh made the remark in an interview with Russia’s Sputnik news agency when he was asked about a recent visit to Syria by the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates.

“It is natural for the US to be concerned about development of cordial and regional relations between Arab countries and Syria, because this development not only shows reduction of differences among the Arab countries, but will have untoward consequences for Washington, including the failure to achieve its evil goals,” Khatibzadeh said.

He added that the failure of the Zionist regime in fomenting sedition and isolating Arab countries is another outcome of improved relations between Syria and those countries.

This failure will be intensified as Arab countries head toward mending fences with Syria one after another, the Iranian spokesman said.

“Syria has always been one of the most important and influential countries in the Arab world and region, and Syria's renewed presence in the region will lead to further growth and dynamism in this region,” Khatibzadeh stressed.

He further noted that the strengthening of relations between Syria and other Arab countries would be in the interests of both parties and that the fruits of such relations would be more so picked by other Arab countries than by Syria.

In recent months, Arab countries began to mend their ties with the Syrian government, 10 years after the beginning of a conflict in Syria during which key Arab countries tried to oust President Bashar al-Assad, Press TV wrote.

On Tuesday, the UAE’s foreign minister traveled to Damascus for the first time after a decade, with Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan meeting top Syrian officials, including Assad.

The new approach adopted by the UAE, which has proven to be much quicker than other Arab countries in making considerable foreign policy shifts to secure its interests, was welcomed by Assad as “realistic and correct”.

Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah said on Thursday that the Emirati foreign minister’s trip to Damascus represented a recognition of "victory" by Assad over foreign-backed militants, Reuters reported.

On Tuesday, the US Department of State quickly reacted to the development, with spokesman Ned Price saying the Biden administration “will not express any support for efforts to normalize” relations with Assad.

“When it comes to our position on the Assad regime, look, we will not normalize or upgrade our diplomatic relations with the Assad regime, nor do we support other countries normalizing or upgrading their relations,” Price said during a press briefing.

Source: Iran Daily