Iran president lands in Damascus in first since Syria conflict began 

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi landed in Damascus today, Syrian state media reported, for talks with his Syrian counterpart Bashar Al-Assad, in the first such visit by an Iranian head of state since war broke out in Syria in 2011.

With military help and economic support from both Iran and Russia, Assad was able to turn the tide of the conflict and regain control of most of his country.

It is estimated that Iran has spent $20-30 billion in Syria and now sells to recoup some of its funding by helping rebuild the devastated country and taking advantage of its oil, gas and phosphate resources.

The Iranian government and entities linked to it have signed a memorandum of understanding to run a mobile phone operator in Syria. It has also been given agricultural land and plans to develop university branches.

READ: Turkiye, Russia, Iran, Syria hold ‘constructive talks’