PHOTO: Iran’s Ali Akbar Velayati and Syrian President Assad on Sunday


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The top aide of Iran’s Supreme Leader has paid another visit to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus.

Ali Akbar Velayati, a former Foreign Minister, displayed Tehran’s continued support for Assad with the trip and his public statements: “Thanks to your and the Syrian people’s presence and courage, a glorious and matchless period has been recorded for Syria in history.”

Neither Iranian nor Syrian State media gave any details of the talks, which come after Iran increased its support by sending in commanders and troops to fight along Syria’s military in multiple offensives against rebels.

“You are a source of pride because you have stood up to the enemies of Islam, this global war, and extremist Takfiri movements,” Velayati told Assad, adding that Ayatollah Khamenei has “always supported the Syrian government and people and prays for your victory”.

He concluded, “We are certain that victory will be the Syrian people’s and resistance’s.”

According to Syrian State news agency SANA, Assad declared that the regime and its allies are dedicated to “fighting terrorism in all its forms”.

The death of another Iranian general — the eighth commander to die since October 7 — was confirmed on Sunday. Three fighters were also killed near Aleppo, bringing the Iranian death toll to 65 in the past eight weeks.


Revolutionary Guards Again Deny Rumors That Top Commander Injured in Syria

The Revolutionary Guards have again denied that the Quds Force commander, General Qassem Soleimani, has been injured in the Syrian conflict.

In its third denial in two weeks, the Guards’ site Fars News, quoted a claimed Soleimani interview with the Arabic-language al-Waqt, in he said he was “looking for martyrdom”.

Soleimani referred to the death of Iran’s former Ambassador to Lebanon, Ghazanfar Roknabadi, during the stampede in Saudi Arabia last month: “His martyrdom in Mecca while fulfilling pilgrimage was a glorious end for him.”

Asked about rumors about his injury or death in Syria, General Soleimani supposedly said, “This what I have been looking for in all plains and mountains.”

Fars has previously rejected rumors with statements from Guards spokesmen, pictures of Soleimani, and even the claim that the General oversaw the mission rescuing the Russian navigator whose warplane was shot down near the Turkish-Syrian border last week.

See Iran Propaganda Feature: Legendary General Soleimani is Alive — and He Rescued Russia’s Pilot in Syria


Reformist Parliamentary Candidate Attacked in Southwestern Iran

Azar Mansouri, a reformist candidate for February’s Parliamentary elections, has been attacked as she tried to speak at a university in southwestern Iran.

Hardline students began heckled Mansouri as she arrived at the hall at Yasuj University. She was jostled and then a woman tried to stab her with a knife.

The attack is the latest in a series by hardline demonstrators on current or prospective MPs, including prominent legislator Ali Motahari.

In March 2010, Mansouri was sentenced to three years in prison. She was the deputy head of Iran’s largest reform party, the Islamic Iran Participation Front, which was banned in the same month.