Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday hailed what he called President Vladimir Putin’s “measures and decision” on Syria which have led to the “enhancement of Russia’s regional and worldwide status”, Iran’s leader’s website reported.
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“While a few countries only imitate action in the fight against terrorism, our two countries have shown how to deal with the issue in a serious way”, said Rouhani.
“The United States is now trying to achieve its failed military objectives in Syria by political means”, he added, referring to proposed peace talks to end the civil war in Syria.
Khamenei said the U.S. had a “long-term plan” to dominate Syria and the Middle East that would “disadvantage all countries, especially Iran and Russia”.
The supreme leader also shared Putin’s long-stated stance that the Syrians must decide the future of their country on their own, without outside interference.
Speaking at the 17th Ministerial Meeting of the GECF at the weekend, also in Tehran, GECF President and Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu identified market volatility, increasing competition, price war and escalating cost of infrastructure development as the key challenges facing the gas industry in general and the GECF in particular. “We will pay special attention to diversification of trade and make a wider use of national currencies in mutual settlements”, Putin said.
The proposal, which seems to draw heavily on a recently circulated Russian initiative, states that “free and fair elections” would be held according to a new constitution within 18 months. To clarify the timeline, the State Department said last week that the clock starts once Assad’s representatives and opposition figures begin talks on a constitution.
Iran and Russian Federation have become increasingly allied in Syria providing support that has propped up Assad’s government and forces since an uprising erupted in 2011.
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“All I can say is we’ve made clear time and again our objections to any sale of the S-300 missile system to Iran”.
