Iran's president holds rare meeting with Assad in Syria Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi Wednesday met Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus in a bid to boost cooperation between the two allies, state media reported. Tehran has been a main backer of Assad's government since an uprising turned into a full-blown war in March 2011 and has played an instrumental role in turning the tide in his favor. FRANCE 24's Reza Sayah reports from Tehran, Iran.