Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Iran and Russia can work together to restrain America, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, according to Fars News.
Putin arrived in Tehran on Friday to attend a trilateral meeting with Iran and Turkey focused on the Syrian province of Idlib, the last stronghold of active opposition to the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
"One of the issues that the two sides can cooperate on is restraining America," Khamenei said. "Because America is a danger for humanity and there is a possibility to restrain them."
Iran closed its border with Iraq on Friday after protesters torched the Iranian consulate in the southern city of Basra.Tehran closed the Salamcheh crossing after an angry mob torched the consulate, according to Iraq’s local media.The attack did not result in any casualties but caused considerable damage to the building.After the incident, Basra Operations Command declared a curfew in Basra.Since July 9, Iraq’s Shia-majority central and southern provinces, especially Basra, have been rocked by protests to demand better public services, more job opportunities and an end to government corruption.Iraq assembly to hold emergency session on Basra unrestEight Iraqis arrested over suspected Daesh links in TurkeyIraqi authorities shut down key port Umm Qasr over Basra protestsThree protesters dead during violent unrest in Iraq's BasraIraqi officials lift planned Basra curfew minutes before it was due to start
Iran closes border crossing with Iraq
A joint statement has been issued after a trilateral summit meeting held between Turkey, Iran, and Russia in Iran's capital Tehran on Friday.The joint statement said, "There could be no military solution to the Syrian conflict and it can only end through a negotiated political process."The leaders expressed their "satisfaction with the achievements" of the Astana format since January 2017, in particular, the progress made in "reducing violence across the Syrian Arab Republic and contributing to peace, security, and stability in the country."Erdoğan says it is important to end bombardments in Syria's Idlib, ensure cease-fireIran, Turkey and Russia "emphasized strong and continued the commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria, as well as to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and highlighted that they should be respected by all."The leaders "rejected all attempts to create new realities on the ground under the pretext of combating terrorism," while expressing determination to stand against separatist agendas aimed at undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and national security of neighboring countries.Video: Turkish, Russian, Iranian presidents meet in TehranThe joint statement said leaders highlighted the "need to create conditions for the safe and voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their original places of residence in Syria."Russia, Iran, and Turkey also called for the United Nations and its humanitarian agencies to help Syria by providing additional humanitarian aid.Erdoğan meets Putin on sidelines of trilateral Syria summitTurkish aid officials fear mass migration from IdlibTurkish, Iranian presidents meet in TehranAssad regime, Russia shell Syria’s Idlib‘Assad tries to sabotage Tehran summit with help of US’
Tehran summit joint statement calls for political solution in Syria