Syria's security, independence, territorial integrity important to Iran: vice president

TEHRAN, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran's first vice president said on Thursday that Iran attaches great importance to Syria's security, independence and territorial integrity, official news agency IRNA reported.

Mohammad Mokhber made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, describing Syria's territorial integrity as a constant concern for Iran.

He also called for developing all-out cooperation with Syria, stressing the need to remove obstacles to bilateral economic ties in all areas, including the private sectors.

For his part, Mekdad slammed the U.S. economic sanctions and its hegemony against Syria and Iran as "economic terrorism," calling Washington a "war criminal."

Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Iran's supreme leader, told the top Syrian diplomat on Thursday that concerted efforts must continue until the expulsion of the very last remaining U.S. forces from Syria and other parts of the region.

Mekdad arrived in Tehran late Tuesday, where he met senior Iranian officials and was briefed about the decisions of the trilateral summit of the Iranian, Russian and Turkish presidents, leaders of the guarantor countries of Astana Process which was initiated in 2017 for peace in Syria.