Tasnim � A ranking Iranian diplomat assured Syria that the Islamic Republic will proceed with its strategic cooperation with Moscow and Damascus in the fight against terrorism.

�The strategic cooperation among Russia, Syrian and Iran in the fight against the evil phenomenon of terrorism and the ongoing consultations among the three countries for the political settlement of the crisis in Syria will continue,� Ali Asghar Khaji, a senior assistant to Iran's Foreign Minister in special political affairs, said in a Saturday meeting with Syrian Ambassador to Tehran Adnan Mahmoud.

Reaffirming Iran�s commitment to supporting Syria in the battle with terrorism, Khaji stressed the importance of joint action and cooperation among Iran, Russia and Turkey within the Astana format for peace in Syria.

Khaji also denounced the US for keeping the unilateral sanctions against the Syrian nation amid the crisis and the outbreak of the coronavirus, and emphasized the need for the international community to support Syria�s people, national sovereignty and territorial integrity within the framework of the international law and in the fight against terrorism.

For his part, Mahmoud highlighted the strategic ties between Syria and Iran, and called for the continuation of consultations at the bilateral and regional levels.

Iran, Russia and Turkey are the guarantor countries that brokered a ceasefire in Syria in December 2016, leading to the Astana talks.

Conflicts erupted in Syria back in 2011, when a small group of opposition forces took up arms against Damascus.

Soon, however, a mix of international terrorists and paid mercenaries mingled with and then largely sidestepped the armed Syrian opposition groups, effectively turning the Arab country into a battlefield for foreign governments opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

But the Syrian military, with advisory military help from Iran and Russia, took control of much of the country.