Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (C) talks to soldiers during a visit to Jobar, northeast of Damascus, in this handout photograph distributed by Syria's national news agency SANA on January 1, 2015. Al-Assad visited a district on the outskirts of Dam
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (C) talks to soldiers during a visit to Jobar, northeast of Damascus, in this handout photograph distributed by Syria's national news agency SANA on January 1, 2015. Al-Assad visited a district on the outskirts of Damascus and thanked soldiers fighting "in the face of terrorism", his office said on its Twitter account on Wednesday, posting pictures of the rare trip. The account said the visit took place in Jobar, northeast of Damascus, on the occasion of the New Year. The district came under heavy Syrian air force strikes on Wednesday according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the nearly four-year conflict. Reuters/Sana

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is in favour of taking part in early presidential elections if the people of his country supports the decision, says a Russian lawmaker.

According to Russian News Agency TASS, Russian Communist Party deputy Alexander Yushchenko told reporters over the phone on Sunday about Assad’s willingness to hold early elections with the people's support. Interfax news agency said that Assad was also ready to launch constitutional reforms.

Assad is ready to hold parliamentary elections "on the basis of all political forces that want Syria’s prosperity,” Yushchenko told TASS. Assad believes that "the struggle against terrorism will lay the basis for a new and fair world based on sovereignty and cooperation," Yushchenko added. As Moscow remains a key ally for Assad, the Kremlin reportedly wants Syria to prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections, reported Reuters.

RIA Novosti reported that Assad’s meeting with Russian lawmakers was held in Damascus on Sunday morning. "Assad said that if the Syrian people consider it necessary, he would not be against taking part in presidential elections," RIA quotes Yushchenko as saying.

According to TASS, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also believes that its time to prepare for elections and added that Moscow would extend its full air support to Assad in order to fight terrorists. However, Syria's Western-backed opposition declined to accept Russia’s offer of aid and responded by saying that they should stop any endeavour to bomb moderate rebels instead.

Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin hosted Assad at the Kremlin for a surprise summit on Tuesday, which was the Syrian president’s first foreign trip since 2011.

Syria's last election was held in June 2014, with Assad gaining over 88 percent of the total votes. However, the election was dismissed by the opposition and condemned internationally, although Russia’s extended support for Assad has escalated tensions between the U.S. and Russia, who have had a tense relationship since the crisis began in Syria in 2011.

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