[Draft] Letter, Yoshihiro Nakayama to Hafez al-Assad

August , 1985

Excellency,

I have the honour to express my profound gratitude to Your Excellency for the cordial welcome you extended which to me during my recent visit to the Islamic Republic of IranSyrian Arab Republic. It was indeed a privilege for me to be perceived in audience by Your Excellencyand for receiving me at a time when you wereYour Excellencywas so occupied with pressing affairs of state, in spite of the fact that my visit was arranged at such a short notice.

I am particularly thankful that I could have a frank and fruitful exchange of views with you Your Excellence on the international issues of our mutual concern including international terrorism. Such candid discussions on this sensitive political matter, I am sure are the evidence of thethat close ties havinghave developed between on theon two countries. I heartily hope that my visit would will have contributed to the furtherance of mutual understanding between the two countries.

Upon my return to Tokyo, I made a detailed report to Prime Minister Nakasone on my talks with Your Excellency and heMr. Nakasone expressed deep satisfaction with the outcome and I am sure that he has further deepened his understanding about the Iranian position on international terrorism.

I wish to reiterate my deep gratitude Your Excellency and to convey, through you, to the Syrian Government my sincere appreciation for its kind consideration for me. Expressing again my deep appreciation for the hospitality accorded me by Your Excellency and the Iranian Government, I look forward to seeing you once again in M mid September on the occasion of the Japan Week to be held in Damascus which, I believe, will further deepen mutual understanding between our two peoples, I would like to take this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest considerations and my best wishes for your continued good health and the lasting prosperity of the Ppeople of the Syrian Arab Republic Islamic Republic of Iran.

Yoshihiro Nakayama

I look forward to seeing you once again in mid September on the occasion of the Japan Week to be held in Damascus which will further deepen mutual understanding between our two peoples.

His Excellency

Hojatoleslam Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani

Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly

Of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Hafez Al-Assad