Syrian Vice-President Farouk al-Shara here on Thursday strongly supported his country's ties with Tehran and underlined that it would be to the benefit of Arab countries.

The Syrian official made the remarks in a press conference with domestic and foreign reporters in Damascus.

"If Iran had remained under reign of its formal monarchical regime, the Zionist regime would have occupied the whole region," he said.

"We always find friends for ourselves prior to any confrontation with the Zionist regime," he said.

Relations between Iran and Syria in the past or at present have always safeguarded the interests of Arab states and Iran, he pointed out. Syria seeks to meet the interests of Persian Gulf littoral states by consolidating its ties with Tehran, he said, adding that "We have always tried to boost relations between Iran and these Arab countries."

The Zionist regime has called on Syria to sever ties with Tehran as a precondition for resumption of talks, he said, adding that "If Syria calls on the Zionist regime to sever ties with the US, will they accept?" he asked.

Those who set such preconditions are actually unwilling to make peace, he said.

IRNA