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Assad and Ahmadinejad, Thursday
Photo: Reuters

Damascus summit: Assad, Ahmadinejad, Nasrallah

Iranian president, Hezbollah chief join Syrian president for dinner following series of meetings with Hamas leader Mashaal, heads of other Palestinians factions. Al-Manar network reports Ahmadinejad, Nasrallah discussed 'Israel's threats'

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday evening joined Syrian President Bashar Assad for dinner in Damascus. The meal was also attended by other Syrian officials. There was no official statement about the issues discussed during the event.

 

It was the first joint meeting between the three men during Ahmadinejad and Nasrallah's visit to the Syrian capital. Earlier Thursday, The Iranian president held separate meetings with his Syrian counterpart and the Hezbollah chief.

 

Hezbollah's al-Manar television network reported that Ahmadinejad and Nasrallah discussed "Israel's threats".

 

Ahmadinejad also met with heads of the Palestinian factions in Syria, including Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal, Islamic Jihad Deputy Secretary-General Ziad Nahla and Ahmed Jibril, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command.


 

Ahmadinejad, Assad and Nasrallah in Damascus

 

During the meeting with the heads of the Palestinian factions, the Iranian leader warned that any Israeli attack will be met with stiff resistance. "If the Zionists want to repeat their mistake again, they must be uprooted from the source," he said. "This criminal regime is doomed and the grand victory is imminent."

 

Ahmadinejad made similar remarks after his meeting with Assad on Thursday. In a joint press conference in Damascus, the two conveyed a clear message to Jerusalem, saying that any move on Israel's part could ignite a conflict with all of the region's nations.

 

The Iranian president also threatened that Arab nations would usher in a new Middle East "without Zionists and without colonialists."

 

Assad addressed recent statements made by Israeli officials, saying that "we believe we are facing an entity that is capable of aggression at any point, and we are preparing ourselves for any Israeli aggression, be it on a small or large scale. We must be prepared for any Israeli response, under any pretext."

 


פרסום ראשון: 02.26.10, 09:41
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