Iran's Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani arrived in Damascus on Wednesday on an official visit to Syria.
Upon arrival in the Damascus international airport, Shamkhani was welcomed by Syrian Minister of Defence Major General Mostafa Tlas, as well as a number of political and top figures of Syria, IRNA reoprted.
Iranian envoy to Syria Mohammad Reza Baqeri and a number of officials at the Iranian institutions and embassy to Damascus were also present at the airport along with the Syrian officials.
Shamkhani is in Syria on the first leg of a four-day official visit which would take him also to Lebanon.
During his stay in Syria, Shamkhani will hold talks with Syrian top-brass officials and would visit some military sites and centers as well as the defensive industrial unites of Syria.
Shamkhani, upon arrival, said that the scientific and industrial cooperation between Iran and Syria in defense and security fields will be high on agenda.
He told reporters that the two sides are to review the level of cooperation in various fields, in particular in the political, security and defense arenas.
In his two-day visit to Damascus, the Iranian Defense Minister will meet the Syrian President and commander-in-chief of the armed forces Bashar Assad, Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara, Defense Minister Mostafa Tlas and commander of the army and armed forces headquarters Major General Hassan Tourkamani.
During his stay, Shamkhani and the accompanying delegation will also sign a defense and military memorandum of understanding. The Iranian delegation will leave Damascus for Beirut on Friday.
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
