In a Tuesday meeting with Syria’s Prime Minister Imad Khamis in Tehran, Rouhani thanked the Syrian government and people for their sympathy over the US assassination of top Iranian commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and the loss of Iranian passengers in a recent crash of a Ukrainian jetliner near Tehran, according to Tasnim News Agency.

Rouhani said the late Iranian commander was assassinated in a US terrorist attack because he was a supporter of oppressed people across the region and thwarted plots hatched by the US and other enemies.

“Iran will never forget such a grave US crime and believe that regional nations should not relax until ending the military presence of the US forces in the region and evicting those invaders,” he underlined.

“Today, the Americans’ interference in the affairs of other countries and their attempts to seize Syria’s oil wells have clearly revealed that they’ve never cared about the interests of regional nations,” he deplored.

Rouhani also reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to supporting the Syrian government and people, saying that cooperation between Tehran and Damascus should continue until achieving the final victory, eradicating terrorism, evicting the foreign occupiers from Syria, and helping the Syrian refugees return to their homeland.

Khamis, for his part, offered condolences over the martyrdom of Lt. Gen. Soleimani and described the loss of the Iranian commander as a major disaster for all freedom-seeking nations in the world.

The Syrian premier also said that Iran’s retaliatory missile attack on a US military base in Iraq has sent a clear message to regional and world governments. “It showed the enemies that the arrogance has no place in this region anymore.”

Highlighting the continued efforts to eradicate terrorism in the region, Khamis added, “The presence of Americans in Syria is a blatant example of occupation, and we believe that all nations and governments must stand against their (US) illegitimate presence in the region.”

He further offered condolences to Iran over the deaths of people in the Ukrainian plane crash, saying Iran’s admission of responsibility for the accident indicates the Iranian officials’ honesty and prudence.

The Syrian nation is grateful to the “Iranian brothers” for all their support and help, Khamis went on to say, calling for efforts to expand the trade ties and broaden cooperation between Damascus and Tehran in various fields.