SANA � President Bashar al-Assad received on Sunday Iranian Foreign Minister�s Special Assistant for Political Affairs, Hussein Jabri Ansari, and the accompanying delegation.

Talks during the meeting dealt with the need to develop a common ground and a clear understanding of the most important outcomes of Sochi Congress, which was agreed upon by the participants, with emphasis laid on the importance of international mediator de Mistura� commitment to his role as a facilitator for the dialogue only.

The repercussions of the Turkish aggression on Afrin and Turkey�s aggressive attitudes toward Syria were also discussed during the meeting.

President al-Assad, in turn, affirmed the importance of prior and permanent coordination between Syria and friendly countries on various issues at this crucial stage, adding that that the Syrian people are the final decision-makers in any future political options related to their country and this decision will not be in the hand of anyone else.

The president pointed out that the current Turkish aggression on Afrin is a new proof of Turkey�s continuing policy towards Syria and a further proof that trusting this policy and its sponsors is not possible.

Ansari, for his part, asserted his country�s keenness on coordination and consultation with Syria in various fields, adding that any effort exerted by Iran to support the political solution to the crisis in Syria will be in agreement with the Syrian leadership, noting that Syria and its people have special status at the people and government of Iran.

The meeting was attended by Presidential Political and Media Adviser Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban and Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Fayssal Mikdad.

In the same context, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem met Ansari and the accompanying delegation, during which the two sides discussed bilateral relations and the importance of working to develop them in various fields, in addition to the latest field and the political developments in Syria and the region and their impacts on the regional and international arenas.

The two sides also agreed on bolstering bilateral relations in the coming phase in a way that serves the common interests of both countries and peoples.