BEIJING: Iran’s foreign minister warned on Friday against “destructive interference” in Syria’s future and said decisions should lie solely with the country’s people, writing in Chinese state media as he visited Beijing.

Abbas Araghchi touch­ed down in the Chinese capital on Friday afternoon, Iranian state media reported, to begin his first official visit to the country since being appointed foreign minister. China and Iran were both supporters of ousted Syrian president Bashar Al Assad.

Iran “considers the decision-making about the future of Syria to be the sole responsibility of the people … without destructive interference or foreign imposition”, Araghchi wrote in a Chinese-language article in People’s Daily on Friday.

He also emphasised Iran’s respect for Syria’s “unity, national sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

Iran’s supreme leader — a key backer of Assad’s administration — predicted on Sunday “the emergence of a strong, honourable group” that would stand against “insecurity” in Syria.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Syria’s young men would “stand with strength and determination against those who have designed this insecurity and those who have implemented it, and God willing, he will overcome them”.

In People’s Daily, Aragh­chi said supporting the Syrian people was a “definite principle (that) should be taken into consideration by all the actors”.

Beijing had also built strong ties with Assad _ he met President Xi Jinping in China last year.

China has affirmed its support for the Syrian people and has said it opposes terrorist forces taking advantage of the situation to create chaos.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2024