DAMASCUS, (Reuters) – Syria’s vice president Farouq al-Sharaa met an Iranian delegation on Sunday, marking the official’s first appearance in weeks and ending rumours by opposition activists that he had defected from President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The vice president met with a parliamentary delegation from Assad’s main regional ally Iran, led by senior legislator Aleddin Borougerdi, according to a Reuters reporter who saw the group with Sharaa outside his office in Damascus.

Opposition activists for weeks had said Sharaa had defected to the 17-month-old uprising against Assad, and said he was hiding out in the southern city of Deraa.