Syria's Assad stresses importance of bolstering ties with Iran

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in a letter to Iran's new President Hassan Rouhani, stressed the importance of bolstering the strategic relations between the two countries to "face the American and Western schemes" in the region, local media reported Sunday.

The letter was conveyed by Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi, who took part in on Saturday the endorsement ceremony of the Iranian new president, according to the state-run SANA news agency.

In the letter, Assad called for enhancing the strategic ties between Iran and Syria on all levels and joining hands to face the American and Western schemes and their tools in the region that " aim at weakening the axe of resistance."

Iran is a main regional ally of Assad's administration, while Iran, Syria and the Lebanese Hezbollah regard and refer to themselves as the axe of resistance against what they see as the hegemony schemes of the United States, Israel and their Western backers in the region.

Syrian state media also reported Sunday that Rouhani told al- Halqi that what is going on in Syria is a failing attempt to strike and bring down the axe of resistance, stressing Iran's steady support for Syria.

Rouhani won Iran's presidential election on June 14 by garnering 50.7 percent of the votes, far ahead of his five conservative-principlist rivals.