Iranian president calls for all out ties with Syria

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on Tuesday for enhancing relation with Syria in different fields. Urging comprehensive ties with the Arab state, the Iranian president said that "The relations between two countries in different areas is for the advantage of both nations and the regional people." Iran and Syria should use their economic potentials for the benefit of their people, he said in a meeting with visiting Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi here Tuesday. Al-Halqi arrived in Iran's capital Tehran on Tuesday to exchange views with Iranian officials on matters of mutual interest as well as regional and international issues. Referring to the hard times of the Syrian people, the Iranian president expressed hope that the "plots" against Syria will come to an end "soon" and peace and security will be restored in the country. With no doubt, the Syrian people will come out of the current hard situation, he said, adding that the best solution to the Syrian crisis is to stop conflicts and to hold free elections. For his part, Al-Halqi said that after successive failures in Syria, the enemies of the Syrian nation have resorted to the destruction of infrastructures in the country. The Western countries are seeking to put the Syrians under the economic pressure, but the the Syrian people will stand against them, he added. Before meeting with Iranian president, the Syrian prime minister also met with Iran's First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi and the country's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Saeed Jalili. In the meetings, both sides condemned the Western intervention in the Syrian affairs and expressed hope that the country to overcome the current difficulties. Deadly attacks hit Syria's Aleppo, Damascus DAMASCUS, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of people were killed or injured Tuesday when two rockets struck the main university of Syrian northern Aleppo city, activists and local media said, as mortar shells rained down districts of the capital Damascus, killing one person and injuring others. The twin rockets hit the faculty of Information Engineering in the University of Aleppo, ripping off the facade of the faculty and filling its vicinity with mounds of debris, broken glass and pools of blood, according to a footage aired by the state TV.   Full story Syria embraces oil-for-food plan to relieve people suffering DAMASCUS, Jan.15 (Xinhua) -- Syria, which once helped Iraq in its oil-for-food program that was endorsed in 1996 to help alleviate Iraqi people's suffering caused by economic sanctions, is now seeking some countries' help to follow Iraq's suit and meet its people's need of food stuff and necessities. Deputy Minister of Economy Hayyan Suleiman disclosed that his government signed a protocol to swap oil for food, noting that the subject is currently being discussed between the companies that are desirous to do the barter and the foreign trade institution.   Full story Russia satisfied with Geneva meeting on Syria, Damascus rattled by new blast BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Monday expressed satisfaction with last week's trilateral meeting on Syria's protracted crisis in Geneva, while a loud explosion rattled a district of the Syrian capital of Damascus overnight. The latest Geneva talks, held last Friday, drew UN-Arab League joint special envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns. The three stressed the need for a speedy end to all forms of violence in Syria.   Full story