MOSCOW, August 20. /TASS/. The West is "trying to establish hegemony" over the Middle East, and Syria jointly with Russia "confront those attempts," Syria’s President Bashar Assad said on Sunday.
He addressed a meeting of diplomatic personnel at Syria’s Foreign Ministry, the Suriya television channel said.
"Syria’s position to protect the national sovereignty was the reason of the war unleashed against it," the president said. "The Syrians have paid high price for the failed talks between the West and ‘brothers-Muslims’, but anyway the resistance price is lower than the price of surrender."
"The fight is not over, it continues, the beginning humanitarian initiatives have the purpose of achieving what the terrorists could not achieve," Assad said.
Russia and Iran, friendly to Syria, "have made a big input in the successful operations the Syrian military continue against terrorists," Syria’s President said.
"We are proud of the important support from our friends and brothers in the fight against terrorism," he said.
"From the very beginning of the crisis, Iran offered to us economic and military assistance," Assad said. "Russia protected Syria at the Security Council, and then sent over its military, and its servicemen died heroically on the Syrian land."
"To support of friends, who helped Syria to survive, would be devoted chapters of history textbooks," he added.