Iran and Syria have vowed to take “strong steps” against the U.S following the sanctions imposed on the two regional allies and said their ties would strengthen under Iran’s new leadership.

The announcement was made by Iran’s new Foreign Minister; Hossein Amir-Abdullahian, who was arrived at the airport by his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad on a visit to Damascus.

The US has imposed sanctions against Iran in response to the Iranian nuclear program and Iranian support for Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestine Islamic Jihad, which are considered terrorist organizations.

Iran has been one of the strongest supporters of Syrian President Bashar Assad, who has sent thousands of fighters from across the region to help its troops in Syria’s 10-year conflict that has killed half a million people and killed the country. Half of the pre-war population of 23 million has been displaced.

With the help of Russia and Iran, Syrian government forces now control much of Syria. But the country has suffered for years under US and EU sanctions.

US Treasury sanctions have targeted a network that extends to Syria, Iran, and Russia, and which is responsible for shipping oil to the Syrian government.

US sanctions were imposed on Tehran after former President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in 2018.

The sanctions have created a severe fuel shortage in Syria, which has relied mostly on Iranian oil shipments that have been subject to mysterious attacks over the past two years. Syria has blamed Israel for these attacks.

Amir-Abdullahian said at the airport, “The leadership of both countries will take powerful steps together to counter economic terrorism and reduce pressure on our people.” He did not specify how the two countries would fight the sanctions.

Amir-Abdullahian’s visit to Syria comes a day after he represented Iran at a conference organized by Middle East officials aimed at de-escalating regional tensions.

Amir-Abdullahian described Syria as a “land of resistance”, adding that Damascus and Tehran “worked together on the ground and achieved a joint victory.”