Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad
Despoiler of Deraa...
on Tuesday and said it was time to dissuade Israel from carrying out attacks such as its air strikes on Syria over the past week.
"The time has come to dissuade the Israeli occupier from carrying out such aggression against the peoples of the region," he said, quoted by Syrian television after his arrival in Damascus on a previously unannounced visit.
"Iran stands at the side of Syria in the face of Israeli aggression, whose aim is to damage the security of the region and weaken the axis of resistance," said Salehi, whose country is a close ally of Damascus.
The visit follows Israeli raids on Friday and Sunday against military targets near Damascus, including sites which Israeli sources said held arms from Iran bound for its Hizbullah allies in Leb, a claim denied by Tehran.
Assad, also quoted on state television
... and if you can't believe state television who can you believe?
, said the Israeli attacks were clear proof of "the implication of Israel and regional and Western countries" in the armed revolt in Syria.
"The Syrian people and their valiant army are capable of confronting the Israeli adventures, which are one of the faces of terrorism targeting Syria everyday," Assad added.