On 25 February, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani. It is the first trip of the Syrian official to Iran since the war erupted eight years ago in Syria. Syrian state television broadcasted the encounter and stressed that the two leaders agreed “to continue cooperation at all levels for the interests of the two friendly nations.” Assad thanked “the Islamic Republic’s leadership and people for what they have given to Syria during the war”. Syria’s official news website insisted that both leaders were on the same “strategic levels […] in all fields”. The meeting also dealt with efforts in the framework of “Astana” to end the war in Syria. Rouhani briefed Assad on the decisions taken during the latest meeting in Sochi and the convergence of viewpoints between the participants on means of achieving progress and of guaranteeing Syria’s territorial integrity.