Tasnim – Iran’s deputy minister of roads and urban development said the country’s government is not investing in Syria’s reconstruction but it has just paved the grounds for Iranian private companies to participate in the reconstruction of the war-hit country.

In the agreements signed between Iran and Syria, the (Iranian) government has no executive role, Mahmoud Mahmoudzadeh said on Saturday.

It is simply a matter of government assistance, providing the grounds for the presence of the private sector in the reconstruction of Syria, he added.

The official went on to say that Iranian private companies are involved in the process of building 30,000 residential units in Syria.

He emphasized that a recent agreement signed with Syria is mainly about technical and engineering services provided by Iran’s private sector to the Arab country.

Back in November, Iran and Syria signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish three joint companies in a bid to accelerate the reconstruction of the Arab country, which has been stricken by years of foreign-backed civil war.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami said the construction of 30,000 residential units and a number of other projects are included in the MoU.

Since the outbreak of war and foreign militancy in Syria in 2011, Iran has stood by the Syrian government and supported its people against terrorist groups, including Daesh (ISIS or ISIL).

In recent months, the Syrian army has managed to liberate many of the areas occupied by terrorists and has begun the reconstruction process.

Back in January 2019, Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri traveled to Syria with a 40-strong political and business delegation, during which the two sides inked 11 agreements.

In December 2018, Syrian Ambassador to Iran Adnan Mahmoud said his country gives priority to the Islamic Republic for carrying out projects in the reconstruction process of Syria after years of war.