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DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrian President Bashar Assad defied U.S. calls to loosen ties with Iran on Thursday, saying his long-standing alliance with Tehran remains strong despite overtures from Washington.
The U.S. has reached out to Syria in recent months, hoping to draw it away from Iran and the militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas.
But with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by his side in Damascus, Assad said Thursday that America should not dictate relationships in the Middle East.
