Iranian president for the first time since the start of the civil war in Syria

For the first time in more than a decade, an Iranian president has traveled to the civil war country of Syria. Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Damascus on Wednesday accompanied by a delegation for talks.

Syrian and Iranian state media report this. The two countries maintain good relations, especially in the field of military cooperation. Before Raisi, hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Syria in 2010.

Since the 1990s, Iran has expanded political and military ties in the region to create an “axis of resistance” against its nemesis Israel, with the support of Shia militias. In Syria, the Islamic Republic supports the ruler Bashar al-Assad, who also traveled to Tehran last year. Since the outbreak of civil war in Syria in 2011, Assad has faced international criticism and has been in isolation for a long time.

Raisi’s visit follows Syria’s rapprochement with several neighboring countries and former rivals in the region in recent months. On Monday, the foreign ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iraq met with their Syrian counterpart Faisal al-Mikdad. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman are campaigning for Syria’s return to the Arab League. The organization’s next summit is scheduled for this month in Saudi Arabia, where the potential return of Syria is likely to be a dominant issue.

In March 2011, countless people in Syria took to the streets against Assad’s leadership in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings. The security forces used violence against the demonstrators. This resulted in a civil war with international participation, which continues to this day. In addition to Iran, Russia also supports Assad’s regime. (aeg/sda/dpa)