War in Syria: The stakes for Iran
| Istanbul
Part of a series of articles looking at the regional interests at stake in Syria's civil war. The full list is on the left of your screen.
As Syria鈥檚 closest regional ally for decades, Iran is doing all it can to prevent the fall of President Bashar al-Assad. Iran鈥檚 Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that 鈥渇ire鈥� will engulf the Mideast if US forces strike.
Senior Iranian officials consider Syria the indispensable center of the Iran-led 鈥淎xis of Resistance鈥� to US and Israeli influence in the Middle East, a key strategic bridge that for three decades has served as a link to the frontline with Israel and as a conduit to arm and support Hezbollah and Palestinian militant groups.
For Iran the stakes could not be higher in Syria, where 鈥� by deploying military advisers and permitting Hezbollah fight on Assad鈥檚 behalf against US-supported rebels 鈥� Iran feels it is engaged in a proxy battle against what it calls the 鈥済lobal arrogance.鈥�
The best outcome for Tehran is an Assad victory that ensures Iran keeps its bridgehead to the Arab world and its fighting allies. The worst outcome for Iran is a toss-up: either a toppling of the regime by American-backed rebels or by the jihadi Islamic fighters on the rebel side, who despise Iran and the US in equal measure.
Clinging to Syria has created policy dilemmas for Iran, which has cast this popular uprising not as a part of the welcomed 鈥淎rab Spring鈥� that saw dictators brought down in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, but as a fight instead against terrorism.聽
Also a problem: Assad鈥檚 alleged use of chemical weapons repeatedly against his own people. Iran is strongly opposed to chemicals weapons use by any side, a policy stemming from being victimized by Iraqi chemical strikes in the 1980s.
Every day, powerful rhetoric supporting Assad comes from Tehran, with florid threats aimed at those who would do Syria harm, issued most often by hardliners.
In one example, a leader of Iran鈥檚 Basij paramilitary group declared: 鈥淚n case of America鈥檚 potential invasion of Syria, Basiji seminary students are eagerly prepared to stand up against the enemies and this confrontation will doubtless be their honor.鈥�
