Iran Envoy In Damascus Congratulates Syrian Armyˈs Victory In Al-Qusair

Damascus, June 8, IRNA – Iran's Envoy to Syria Mohammad-Reza Raˈouf Sheibani congratulated the victory of the Syrian nation and government against terrorist groups in al-Qusair. Sheibani made the remark in a meeting, Thursday night, with Syrian Prime Minister Vael Nader al-Halqi, adding that the "recent victories of the Syrian Army and the peopleˈs militia forces in al-Qusair region have led to restoration of stability in the country, which would definitely decrease the peopleˈs pains and sufferings.ˈ He said that the Syrian nationˈs over two years of brave resistance in confrontation with the global plots and conspiracies hatched against them is in itself a great victory against the enemies of Syria. Al-Halqi, too, in the meeting while thanking the Iranian nation and government for their approach towards the Syrian crisis and their contributions to the Syrian nation, saying, ˈThe victories of the Syrian Army, particularly in al-Qusair region, are in the framework of a general strategy aimed at cleansing one of the major cores of terrorist activities, which is directly backed up by the usurper racist-Zionist regime.ˈ Al-Halqi also referred to the opinion polls I some western countries that show President Bashar al-Assad is popular among 70% of the Syrians living in those countries, adding, ˈThe recent military and political victories of Syria have been important factors leading to ever more increased support of the people for the Syrian Government.ˈ He said that announcement of readiness of Damascus Government for holding unconditional talks with the dissidents has been one of the major reasons leading to the long delay in convening of the Geneva II Conference. Both sides in the meeting also emphasized the need for further expansion of bilateral economic cooperation and surveyed the ways for doing so. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s troops regained control on Wednesday of the embattled strategic town of Qusair where fighting has raged with rebels for nearly three weeks, the Syrian state TV and a local government official said. The capture of the town, which lies close to the Lebanese border, solidifies some of Syriaˈs recent gains on the ground that have shifted the balance of power in President al-Assad’s favor in the Syrian crisis. On the ground in the past two months, the Syrian army has moved steadily against rebels in key battleground areas, making advances near the border with Lebanon and considerably lowering the threat to Damascus, the seat of al-Assad’s government. A wide offensive on Qusair was launched on May 19. The state TV said the army has “restored security and peace” after successfully dismantling “terrorist networks” operating in the town and seized weapons. An official in the governor’s office of Homs province confirmed the report. “At 6.30 a.m., Qusair became secure,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to speak to the media about an ongoing military operation. State media said government forces flushed rebels out on Tuesday of a key district on the northeastern edge of Damascus from where opposition fighters had been trying to push into the capital. In recent weeks, al-Assad’s forces also regained control of a key highway linking Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, with its international airport after clearing rebels from villages along the way. More than 70,000 people have been killed and several million displaced by the Syrian conflict since it erupted more than two years ago. Images broadcast Wednesday in Syria by media embedded with the Syrian army in Qusair showed a deserted town with heavily damaged buildings. Military bulldozers were removing rubble and clearing roads as armored vehicles whizzed by./end