Damascus

Subject: International Relations

Section: Places in news

Concept:

According to reports, Iran’s president Ibrahim Rai will travel to Syria.
Since the beginning of Syria’s Civil War in 2011, this will be the first tour of this kind.
The two-day visit takes place against the backdrop of improved relations between regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia as well as growing Arab engagement with Damascus.

Damascus

It is the capital of Syria, the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth holiest city in Islam.
Situated in southwestern Syria, Damascus is the center of a large metropolitan area.
It is nestled among the eastern foothills of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range 80 kilometres inland from the eastern shore of the Mediterranean on a plateau 680 metres (2,230 ft) above sea level.
Damascus experiences a dry climate because of the rain shadow effect. The Barada River flows through Damascus.