High-ranking representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Syrian Arab Republic agreed on Friday to increase the number of direct flights and launch shipping lines to boost the trade and economic activity between the two countries, Iranian news agency Tasnim reports.

Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash, who accompanied Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on his official visit to [the Syrian capital] Damascus, held talks with Iranian merchants at the Iran-Syria Development Headquarters on Friday.

The main topics discussed during the meeting were the lack of regular air connections between Iran and Syria, planning of import and export of goods, as well as the need for weekly regular flights between Tehran and Damascus.