Assad targets regimes supporting terror in Iraq, Syria

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Tuesday said fighting terrorism would start by putting pressure on the governments that support terrorism in Syria and Iraq, Xinhua reported.

"Fighting terrorism starts by practising pressure on the countries that support and finance the armed terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq while pretending that they are currently battling terrorism," Assad said, hailing the Syrian-Iraqi cooperation in battling terror.

Assad made the remarks during a meeting with the visiting Iraqi National Security Advisor Faleh Fayad, who was sent to Syria on the behest of Iraq's Prime Minister Haidar Abadi.

"Cooperation with the Iraqi leadership on fighting the terrorist organisations have yielded positive outcome for both countries and the region," he added.

The visit comes as the international community is closing ranks on forging an international coalition to battle the Islamic State (IS) terror group in both Iraq and Syria.

The Syrian government, while welcoming the international consensus on battling terrorism, expressed skepticism about the US intentions.

The administration of President Barack Obama has apparently refused to cooperate or coordinate with the Syrian government regarding the US air strikes against the IS positions on Syrian soil.

Syria said any uncoordinated action would be deemed as an aggression that would give Damascus the right to defend itself from as such unilateral actions encroach upon the country's sovereignty.