Syria, Iran vow unity against US plots

TEHRAN (AFP) - Close allies President Bashar al-Assad of

Syria and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pledged they would work together to confront US and Israeli "plots" in the Middle East.

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Assad had earlier arrived in

Iran for a two day visit aimed at further bolstering already robust ties, his second trip to the Islamic republic since Ahmadinejad took power in August 2005.

The two men, both under fire from the United States for their countries' alleged meddling in the region, warned against the dangers of disunity between Sunni and Shiite Muslims, in particular in multi-confessional Lebanon and

Iraq.

"We should cooperate and work to make the public aware of the sinister aims of the United States and the Zionists," Assad said in his meeting with Ahmadinejad, according to the state-run IRNA agency.

"Iran and Syria support the peoples of the region and the enemies will only reach their goals by creating pessimism and disunity amongst Muslims," he added.

Ahmadinejad agreed that "we should be careful about the enemies' efforts to create division and conflict amongst Muslims and make sure they do not reach their sinister goals."

"Under the current conditions it is necessary that Islamic countries preserve their vigilance, unity and wisdom to prevent the establishment of new conspiracies," he added.

Accompanied by Foreign Minister Walid Muallem and Vice President Faruq al-Shara, Assad also met former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. He is scheduled also to meet supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"Creating conflict between Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq and Lebanon is the final card that America and its allies have... they try to cover their failure with false propaganda," Assad told Rafsanjani.

Assad was the first world leader to visit Ahmadinejad following his election victory -- just five days after he took office -- and relations have remained strong ever since.

The Iranian president visited Damascus in January 2006, where he held talks with Assad and the Syria-based political leaders of Palestinian militant groups.

Assad's latest visit to Tehran comes at a time when both Syria and Iran have been accused by the US of "meddling" in the region. Both vehemently deny the charges.

Washington, which is planning to send more troops to bolster the US-led force of around 140,000 soldiers in Iraq, accuses the two countries of helping stir up insecurity there by supporting insurgents and allowing militants to cross their borders.

Damascus has also been accused of fomenting the violence which has dogged Lebanon since the assassination of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005, while Tehran stands accused of arming the militant Shiite group Hezbollah.

Syria is a staunch supporter of Iran's controversial nuclear programme, which the US alleges is a cover for making nuclear weapons. Washington's major ally

Israel is believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East although it has never officially confirmed this status.

Iran insists its atomic drive is solely aimed at generating energy, to which it has every right.