A general Iranian consulate was opened in the city of Aleppo following the visit of Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif in Damascus on May 12th, during which he discussed the opening of a new consulate with senior Syrian government officials headed by Assad. The opening ceremony was attended in person by Iran’s ambassador in Damascus, Mehdi Sobhani. Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Syria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal Mekdad joined via video conference.
The Iranians understand Aleppo’s economic significance (it was always considered Syria’s “economic capital”) and even sent the pro-Iranian militias there back in 2012. Currently, with the opposition forces’ withdrawal from the area, Aleppo has become an arena of competition between Tehran and Moscow over the economic influence over Syria.
Iran wishes to be actively present in the process of the area’s rehabilitation.
