Ammon News - AMMONNEWS -Ali Akbar Velayati, the senior foreign policy advisor to Iran Supreme Leader, hailed the “liberation” of Aleppo as the “victory of the victories,” during a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister, Walid al-Muallem in Tehran, according to media sources.

The top Syrian diplomat accompanied by special security advisor to Bashar al-Assad, Ali Mamlouk, held a series of meetings with Iranian Officials including President Hassan Rowhani, his counterpart, Javad Zarif, and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamakani.

Mouallem called Aleppo’s “liberation” a “common victory” for Iran and Syria and expressed Damascus’ gratitude for Tehran’s support.

“I hope our Syrian friends consider Iran as their second home,” Velayati said, “Iran has had long term and strategic relations with Syria and it will continue,” he added, according to Syrian newspaper Al-Wattan.

Syria’s foreign minister stressed that foreign fighters are in his country by the request of the government, in an insinuation to Ankara’s demand for the withdrawal of all foreign militants from Syria on a Turkey-Russia mediated ceasefire agreement came into effect Friday.

Some leaked reports revealed recently that Iran may withdraw all its militants including Hezbollah, from Syria, yet it is not clear whether the step will be within a regional separate agreement, or linked to “Astana” deal between Turkey and Russia, or a totally different one between Assad and the Kremlin.

Iran is heavily involved in the Syrian civil war to preserve Assad’s grip on power, in addition to its interference in other regional conflicts such in Iraq and Yemen with an aim to achieve its ultimate goal to become the regional hegemon.

*Al Arabiya