Iran and Syria, joint anti-US front, says Assad

Iran and Syria, joint anti-US front, says Assad

Assad termed his two-day visit to Tehran and talks with Iranian officials as 'one of my most successful state visits.'

The Syrian president and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad issued a joint statement calling on the US to withdraw its forces from Iraq to enable the Iraqi government to return peace and stability to the country.

The two presidents also called for the Middle East to be turned into a nuclear-free zone, demanding Israel's nuclear disarmament.

Assad and Ahmadinejad also called for all signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to have the right to pursue civil nuclear technology, and termed any discrimination in this as unacceptable.

The two leaders also welcomed the political deal by rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas, and hoped it would lead to unity among Palestinians.

Ahmadinejad told reporters the summit had been 'very fruitful' and said Tehran-Damascus ties were progressing.

Assad also met Sunday with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who constitutionally has the final say on all state affairs.

Khamenei said Iran and Syria had important roles to play in preventing US and Israeli conspiracies against the Islamic world aimed at sowing discord among Muslims.

He further told Assad said that the US would eventually be the 'main loser' in the region, especially as US President George W. Bush had even lost support within his own party over his Iraq policies.