Iran and Syria on Monday signed a new protocol on defense cooperation to promote the defense ties between the two countries, local Fars news agency reported.

Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar, who arrived in Damascus on Friday evening for a three-day visit, signed the document with his Syrian counterpart Lieutenant General Hassan Ali Turkmani, Fars said.

According to the report, the main points in the agreement include development and consolidation of defense and military ties between the two countries, continued exchange of views and consultations to secure the two sides' interests.

During his stay in Syria, Najjar met with President Bashar al- Assad and Turkmani, and discussed bilateral relations and pressing regional and international issues with top Syrian officials, Fars said.

In a statement issued after his meeting with President al-Assad on Sunday, Najjar highlighted the importance of military cooperation by saying that the existing strategic and defensive ties between the two countries would lead to the promotion of peace, stability and security in the region.

"We consider the capability of the Syrian defensive forces as our own and believe that expansion of defensive ties would ... help deal with the threats of the enemies," Najjar said in the statement.

He noted that the Syrian president also highlighted the importance of the two countries' role in securing the region and expressed full satisfaction with the expansion of all-out ties on defensive issues between Damascus and Tehran.

Syria and Iran, both accused by Washington of supporting terrorism, have remained close ties since 1980s when Damascus sided with Tehran during the 8-year-long Iran-Iraq war.

Source: Xinhua