Amid shifting regional relations, Iran president visits Syria to solidify ties

Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad (right) and his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi shake hands after signing a memoranda of understanding on ‘long-term strategic cooperation’ in Damascus. Photograph: Louai Beshara/AFP via Getty Images Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday finished a two-day visit to Damascus after securing a long-term strategic cooperation agreement to reconstruct war-ravaged Syria. He also agreed memoranda of understanding with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad covering energy, railways, telecommunications and agriculture. "Syria's government and people have gone through great difficulties, and today we can say that you have overcome all these problems and achieved victory despite the threats and sanctions…