Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says the country's Armed Forces are making steady and consistent progress in crushing terrorists and clearing the lands occupied by terrorists.

In a speech at a conference organized by the country's foreign ministry in Damascus, President Assad asserted on Sunday that Syrian Army and allied forces constitute a role model to be studied in the history of wars.
We will continue in the upcoming stage to crush terrorists everywhere in cooperation with friends, and we will continue national reconciliations that proved their effectiveness.
Iran, Russia, China, and Hezbollah play crucial role

President al-Assad said the assistance extended by major allies Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement had enabled the Syrian army to make battlefield gains and reduce the burden of war.
He also pointed out that Russia and China used the right of veto to defend Syria's unity and the UN Charter.
Assad added that the direct political, economic, and military support of Syria's friends and partners enabled the army to advance against terrorists and incur fewer losses.

Syria targeted throughout history

Syrian president said that throughout history, Syria has been a target, and those who control this target gain great control over decision-making in the West Asia. He pointed out that those who control decision-making in the West Asia region are influential on the international arena.
President al-Assad noted that the conference organized by the foreign ministry is crucial due to the very rapid dynamics of the events in the world, the region, and Syria in particular.
Talking about foiling the Western project doesn't mean we are victorious; the battle is still going on, and the signs of victory are there, but victory itself is another thing, President al-Assad said.

He said that the deep regime in the United States doesn't share power with the US President; it only gives him a margin.

Price of resistance lower than price of surrender

The price of resistance is much lower than the price of surrender... we paid a dear price in Syria in this war, but we managed to foil the Western project, he said, noting that changes in positions doesn't mean changes in policies, adding the West is like a snake, changing its skin according to the situation.
The media and psychological war they practiced during the past years were unable to affect us in fighting terrorism or push us towards fear and hesitation... we struck terrorism since day one, and we will continue to strike it as long as there is a single terrorist in Syria... fighting terrorism is a goal and the basis for any action we take.
We have dealt in a very flexible manner with all initiatives that were proposed despite knowing beforehand that most of them were based on bad intentions.

Sectarian rhetoric temporary

Sectarian rhetoric was transient, and what's on tongues is not important; what's important is what is in the hearts. If this divisive aspect that we hear about now in different parts of our society was in the hearts, then Syria would have fallen a long time ago, and the civil war that they talk about in Western media and that they tried to convince us about what would have been a fait accompli.
Erdogan is playing the role of political beggar after his support for terrorists was exposed. We don't consider the Turkish side to be a partner nor a guarantor nor do we trust it.
President al-Assad affirmed that as long as the fight against terrorism is ongoing, there is no place for the idea of a fait accompli or division in Syria, adding that the goal of de-escalation zones is to stop bloodshed, deliver humanitarian aid, removing militants, and restoring the situation to normal.
The Syrian president welcomed Russian-brokered, regional ceasefire deals that Moscow is seeking to extend elsewhere in Syria as these would end bloodshed and bring an end to insurgency and pardoning of militants. We have an interest in the success of this initiative.

Syria not isolated

President al-Assad affirmed that Syrian economy has entered the stage of recovery, which might be slow, but it is consistent.
We are not in a state of isolation as they think, but this state of arrogance makes them think in that way. There will be no security cooperation or opening of embassies or role for some states that say they are looking for a solution until they cut off their ties with terrorism in a clear and unambiguous way.
We will not allow enemies and rivals to achieve through politics what they failed to achieve through terrorism. We must work seriously from now to build the future Syria on solid bases, he asserted.