Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (R) meets Iran 's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani in Damascus Sept. 20, 2006. -Xinhua/Reuters

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday emphasized Iran's right to possess nuclear technology for peaceful purpose, the official SANA news agency reported.

Assad made the remarks during a meeting with visiting Iranian top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, SANA said without elaborating.

The Iranian official also met with Syrian Vice President Faroukal-Shara on Wednesday.

Shara believes that Iran's nuclear issue should be solved through dialogue and away from sanctions and threats.

Larijani said Iran considers Syria as a brotherly and friendly country and desires to consult with her.

Syria and Iran have maintained close relations since the 1980s when Damascus took the side of Tehran in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.

According to Iran's official IRNA news agency, Larijani, who arrived in Syria Wednesday morning on a one-day visit, had a telephone conversation with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana during his stay here.

Larijani and Solana agreed to meet next week in one of the European capital cities to hold a new round of nuclear talks, the report said.

The last round of talks between the two took place in Vienna on Sept. 9.