The man at the centre of recent defection rumours from Syria's government makes his first public appearance in weeks.

Vice President Farouq al-Sharaa meets with top Iranian official Alaeddin Boroujerdi on Sunday, ending rumours he had defected from President Bashar al-Assad's government.

Sharaa's office had denied the rumours reported by Arabic media just over a week ago.

Sharaa - the most senior Sunni Muslim in the Damascus regime - was last seen at a funeral for four top government officials killed in a blast in Damascus on July 18.