TEHRAN, FEB 18, SPA -- HASHEMI RAFSANJANI, THE PRESIDENT OF THE EXPEDIENCY COUNCIL IN IRAN, EXCHANGED VIEWS HERE YESTERDAY WITH SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD ON BILATERAL RELATIONS AND ISSUES OF MUTUAL INTEREST. SPEAKING ON THE OCCASION, RAFSANJANI SAID STIRRING SECTARIAN STRIFE IN THE REGION, NOTABLY IN IRAQ AND LEBANON COMES IN LINE WITH A PLOT HATCHED BY THE US. RAFSANJANI UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE OCCUPYING FORCES FOR ENSURING SECURITY AND STABILITY IN IRAQ. ON LEBANON AND PALESTINE, RAFSANJANI SAID IRAN AND SYRIA ARE CAPABLE OF EXTENDING SUPPORT TO THE LEBANESE AND PALESTINIANS TO ENABLE THEM REALIZE THEIR GOALS.'COOPERATION OF TEHRAN AND DAMASCUS WILL SERVE THE REGION AND THE MUSLIM WORLD', HE SAID. ON HIS PART, AL-ASSAD UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF MOBILIZATION OF THE AVAILABLE POTENTIALITIES IN THE MUSLIM WORLD FOR CONFRONTING THE DANGERS FACING THE MUSLIMS. HE NOTED THAT AMERICA AND ITS ALLIES, WHICH WERE DEFEATED IN THE REGION, NOTABLY IN IRAQ, LEBANON AND PALESTINE, HAVE BEEN WORKING TO IMPLANT SEEDS OF CRISES IN THE REGION. AL-ASSAD SAID DAMASCUS IS DEVELOPING ITS RELATIONS WITH BAGHDAD TO CONFRONT THE SEDITIONS CREATED BY AMERICA IN IRAQ AGAINST SYRIA. HE UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF ENABLING ALL POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC FORCES IN IRAQ TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/426316