Iran und Syrien gemeinsam gegen USA
DIE PRESSE: Der iranische Staatschef Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ist zu Besuch in Syriens Hauptstadt Damaskus. Dabei trifft er den syrischen Präsidenten Bashar al-Assad und schließt Vereinbarungen gegen US-Interessen.

"Wir müssen (US-Außenministerin Hillary) Clinton wegen der schlechten Übersetzung und wegen unseren begrenzten Verstandes missverstanden haben. Deshalb unterzeichneten wir den Vertrag über die Visafreiheit", witzelte Assad. Es sei befremdlich, dass Clinton über Stabilität und Frieden im Nahen Osten rede und zwei Länder der Region auffordere, auf Distanz zueinander zu gehen. "Dieselben Ziele, dieselben Feinde" >>> Ag. | Donnerstag, 25. Februar 2010

Stay Out of Middle East Affairs, Ahmadinejad Tells Washington
Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (C) attend celebrations of the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) birthday in Damascus on Thursday. Photo: Arab news
ARAB NEWS: DAMASCUS: The United States should pack up and leave the Middle East and stay out of regional affairs, Iran’s president said on Thursday during a visit to Damascus that follows a string of US efforts to break up Syria’s 30-year alliance with Tehran.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Syrian counterpart, Bashar Assad, reaffirmed their ties by canceling visa restrictions between the two countries and vowing cooperation.

“(The Americans) want to dominate the region but they feel Iran and Syria are preventing that,” Ahmadinejad said during a news conference with Assad.

“We tell them that instead of interfering in the region’s affairs, to pack their things and leave.”

The US has reached out to Syria in recent months by nominating the first US ambassador to Damascus since 2005 and sending top diplomats to meet with President Bashar Assad. Washington is hoping to draw Syria away from Iran and the militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas.

But with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by his side in Damascus, Assad said Thursday that America should not dictate relationships in the Middle East.

“I find it strange how they talk about Middle East stability and at the same time talk about dividing two countries,” Assad told reporters when asked about Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's call Wednesday for Syria to move away from Iran.

Assad took a swipe at Clinton for making such a suggestion, saying he and Ahmadinejad “misunderstood, maybe because of translation error or limited understanding.” In a show of unity, the two signed an agreement canceling travel visas between the their countries. >>> Agencies | Friday, February 26, 2010