Damascus- SANA

Iran has responded to recent comments by the Syrian PresidentAhmad al-Sharaasuggesting that the break in ties with Tehran is not permanent, saying it is prepared to restore relations whenever Damascus decides renewed ties serve its peoples interests.

I believe that severing relations between two Islamic countries bound by historic ties of friendship will certainly not be permanent, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said during his weekly press conference on Wednesday.

We are not in a hurry. Whenever [the Syrian government] realizes that friendship with Iran serves the interests of the Syrian people, we will be ready to reciprocate, Baqaei added.

Earlier Friday, President al-Sharaa said that while Syria had managed to build ties with Western states and maintain balanced relations with Russia, its relationship withIranremained complicated.

As for Iran, the wound was somewhat deeper, and we are not saying there will be a permanent rupture between us and the Iranians, al-Sharaa said in an interview with Syrian state-run TV Al-Ekhbaria.

Relations between Damascus and Tehran were cut after Assad was toppled on December 8, 2024, following a major military operation by Syrian revolutionary factions that led to the liberation of Syria.

Iran had been Assads key ally since the start of the Syrian revolution in 2011, providing military and economic support to keep him in power and to preserve Tehrans regional influence.