Iran resolute in support for Assad regime

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad won a pledge of support yesterday from Iran as his forces tried to choke off rebels in the northern city of Aleppo.

Seeking to restore his authority after suffering the gravest setbacks so far in the 17-month-old uprising, culminating in the defection of his prime minister on Monday, Assad was shown on television meeting a senior Iranian official.

It was the first footage broadcast of the 46-year-old leader for two weeks, and came a day after Syria’s new caretaker prime minister was televised chairing a cabinet session, possibly to rebut reports that other ministers had deserted along with premier Riyad Hijab.