Iran's increased strength equals Islamic World's might - Syrian Official

Damascus, Dec 23, IRNA - Governor General of Syria's Halab Province Thamer al-Hojjah said here increased strength of the Islamic Republic of Iran equals greater might of the Islamic world.

According to IRNA correspondent in Syria, al-Hojjah made the comment
in a meeting with visiting Iranian Culture and Islamic Guidance
Minister Mohammad-Hossein Saffar-Harandi.

Referring to the two countries' shared stands towards regional issues,
including the need for restoration of the Palestinian nation's
demolished rights, he considered them as factors serving as a cement
that proximate the two countries at an ever increasing pace.

The Syrian official referring to the historical, cultural, industrial,
civilizational, and tourism attractions of Halab said, The ancient
architecture of Halab resembles that of the beautiful ancient Iranian
city, Isfahan."
Al-Hojjah referred to the existence of such historic monuments in
Halab as the Halab Castle and Ra's ul-Hussain (P), adding, "Ra's
ul-Hussain (Imam Hussain's severed head) is in need of Iran's
attention in its expansion project and we are hereby requesting the
Islamic Republic of Iran's generous contribution in this project.

He considered Halab, with its thousands of years of history, as a
historic treasure of the entire mankind.

The Iranian Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Saffar-Harandi, too,
said that Halab has a special position in the Iranian history and
literature and its name is mentioned in many books and many poems of
the Iranian poets.

He added, "Renowned Iranian poet, Sa'di has in his book Golestan (Rose
Garden) referred to Halab as an economic and cultural pole." Harandi
said that holding the Iran Culture Week in Syria has provided a good
opportunity for the members of the Iranian delegation to get better
acquainted with Halab, particularly with the activities of the Faculty
of Persian Language of Halab University.

He meanwhile stressed the need for further promotion of Persian
language teaching and studying in Syria as the language for better
understanding the various aspects of the ancient Iranian culture, many
of whose signs is observed here and there in Syria.

He referred to his Sunday meeting with the Syrian Endowments Minister
during which general agreements had been reached on renovation of
Syrian religious monuments, as well as making investments in cultural
and historic sites of Syria, aimed at attracting more tourists.

Harandi expressed hope that the Iranian pilgrims of Lady Zeynab's Holy
Shrine would also visit the Syrian tourism attractions.

He reiterated, "In order to pave the path for greater interactions
between the visiting Iranians and the Syrian people we need to
encourage teaching the Persian language to the Syrians."
The Iranian Culture Minister arrived in Damascus to participate at
Iran and Syria Culture Week ceremonies atop a cultural-artistic
delegation on Friday.

He will depart for Tehran on Tuesday night.