TEHRAN, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian security official on Tuesday called for closer cooperation with Russia to counter the United States' influence in Syria.
"Coordination between Iran and Russia will avert U.S. illegal intervention in Syria," Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said in a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev on Tuesday.
U.S. adventurism in Syria could fuel tensions and strengthen terrorism in the region, Shamkhani said.
He said this necessitates an increased coordination between Iran and Russia "in order to prevent the U.S. illegal meddling in Syria and violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Arab state."
Recent moves by the United States "to boost the morale of terrorist groups in Syria is a violation of the UN Security Council's resolutions," he added.
Iran and Russia have voiced strong opposition to recent U.S. strikes on pro-government forces in Syria, while urging Washington to take measures to avoid further such actions.
Referring to the ongoing Syria talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, Patrushev called for creating practical mechanisms to monitor ceasefire and the peace process.
The Russian official also hailed Tehran-Moscow cooperation against terrorism, saying that political initiatives for resolving the Syrian issue will not affect their counterterrorism cooperation in Syria.
In May, a de-escalation zones deal signed by Russia, Iran and Turkey went into effect in Syria.
Under the agreement, the Syrian government and opposition forces halted fighting for six months in four zones: the northwestern province of Idlib, the central province of Homs, the Eastern Ghouta countryside of Damascus, and certain areas in the Daraa and Qunaitera provinces in southern Syria.
The fifth round of Syria talks, attended by representatives of Iran, Russia, Turkey, Syrian government and opposition groups, kicked off in Astana on Monday and will conclude on Wednesday.
