First trip by an Iranian president to Syria since the conflict

Ebrahim Raisi and Bashar Assad have signed a long-term strategic cooperation agreement during the first meeting between the two countries' leaders since before war broke out over a decade ago. The documents covered cooperation in oil, communications and information technology, railways, civil aviation, agriculture, and free zones. They also agreed to mutual recognition of maritime certificates and signed a memorandum of understanding between the National Center for Earthquakes in Syria and the International Institute of Seismic Engineering in Iran. Assad and Raisi affirmed their countries' shared geopolitical aims and discussed recent political moves in the region. Iran has provided military and economic assistance to Syria in the intervening years. In March, Iran and Saudi Arabia reopened their mutual embassies after seven years without official communication, after China hosted a meeting between the countries' foreign ministers.