{"id":132619,"date":"2024-12-02T22:45:38","date_gmt":"2024-12-02T15:45:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=132619"},"modified":"2024-12-02T22:45:38","modified_gmt":"2024-12-02T15:45:38","slug":"syria-is-growing-to-be-an-increasing-concern-for-iran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=132619","title":{"rendered":"Syria is growing to be an increasing concern for Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"startBannerSticky\">&#13;<\/p>\n<p>At a time when Hezbollah and Israel have signed a shaky ceasefire and Hamas is seriously weakened in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/tags\/gaza\">Gaza<\/a>, one of Iran\u2019s other proxy strongholds in the Middle East is causing increasing concern for the ayatollahs of the Islamic Republic of Iran: Syria.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>Dozens of Syrian Army soldiers have been killed as rebels of the Islamist terror group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham swept into the major city of Aleppo, forcing the army to redeploy in the biggest challenge to President Bashar al-Assad in years.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>Russia, a major Assad ally, said its air force had carried out strikes on Syrian rebels in support of the country\u2019s army, following what was the boldest rebel assault for years in a civil war where front lines had largely been frozen since 2020.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<section class=\"hide-for-premium\">  <\/section>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>Iranian-backed militias also entered Syria on Sunday night from Iraq to support Assad and were heading to northern Syria to reinforce the beleaguered Syrian Army forces battling insurgents, according to Syrian Army sources. Dozens of Iran-aligned Iraqi Hashd al-Shaabi fighters from Iraq also crossed into Syria through a military route near Al Bukamal crossing.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, once known as the Nusra Front, is designated a terrorist group by the United States, Russia, Turkey, and other states.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<figure class=\"article-image-in-body\"><figcaption class=\"article-image-caption article-image-credit\" style=\"max-width:100%;height:auto;\">Iran&#8217;s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei meets with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in Tehran, Iran May 30, 2024. (credit: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader\/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>To throw his opinion into the mix, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sent out a post on X on Sunday evening, addressing the current situation in Syria, stating, \u201cTakfiri groups are good news for enemies of the world of Islam. Exactly at a time when all Islamic Ummah\u2019s attention is focused on the issue of Palestine, takfiri [apostate] groups, [that] instead of concentrating on [the] Zionist regime\u2019s malevolent nature, draw the attention to other places. #Syria\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Takfiri groups are good news for enemies of the world of Islam. Exactly at a time when all Islamic Ummah\u2019s attention is focused on the issue of Palestine, Takfiri groups, instead of concentrating on Zionist regime\u2019s malevolent nature, draw the attention to other places.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Syria?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Syria<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/khamenei_ir\/status\/1863289955964911672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 1, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<section class=\"hide-for-premium\"> <\/section>\n<p>Khamenei\u2019s post criticizes takfiri groups, a term often used to describe extremist Sunni factions that declare other Muslims apostates. He accused these groups of serving the interests of Islam\u2019s enemies, such as the US and Israel, by diverting attention away from the Palestinian cause and the \u201cmalevolent nature\u201d of the \u201cZionist regime.\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>This perspective aligns with Khamenei\u2019s long-standing belief in the umma (Muslim community at large) \u2013 that unity among Muslims is essential to resist external threats, particularly from Israel. By engaging in internal conflicts \u2013 such as those in Syria \u2013 takfiri groups weaken the Islamic world and shift focus from what Khamenei views as the central issues: Palestinian liberation and opposition to Zionism.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<section class=\"hide-for-premium\">\n<section class=\"script-3632-container-wrap\">\n<hr\/>\n<div class=\"script-3632-container\">\n<div class=\"script-3632-text\">\n<p class=\"script-3632-text-first\">Stay updated with the latest news!<\/p>\n<p class=\"script-3632-text-second\">Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<hr\/>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/tags\/khamenei\">Khamenei<\/a>, while embodying the Shia theocratic model, often invokes the concept of the umma to assert Iran\u2019s leadership in a broader Islamist struggle.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<h3>A relationship worth saving?<\/h3>\n<p>Iran and Syria\u2019s alliance began in the aftermath of Iran\u2019s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Syria, under former president Hafez al-Assad, was one of the first Arab nations to back Iran during the Iran-Iraq War. The shared hostility toward Israel and opposition to Western influence in the Middle East cemented their ties. Syria also provided critical logistical support to Iran, allowing the passage of arms and supplies to Hezbollah \u2013 the Iranian-backed militia in Lebanon \u2013 which Israel has spent years trying to disrupt and has amped up its pressure since the war against Hezbollah erupted after October 7.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), particularly its Quds Force, has been the primary actor managing Iran\u2019s relationship with Syria. The Quds Force, tasked with overseeing Iran\u2019s extraterritorial operations, established a significant presence in Syria to support both strategic goals and ideological ones, such as exporting the Islamic Revolution\u2019s principles. Iran\u2019s support for Syria includes arms supplies, economic aid, and the training of pro-Assad militias.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<section class=\"hide-for-premium\"> <\/section>\n<\/p>\n<p>The onset of Syria\u2019s civil war in 2011 marked a turning point in the relationship.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, like his father Hafez, positioned himself as a key ally of Iran. When anti-Assad protests escalated into a violent conflict, the IRGC intervened decisively to ensure Assad\u2019s survival, as losing Syria would have been a strategic blow to Iran\u2019s regional influence.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>Iran has since poured billions of dollars into Syria, supplying arms, deploying IRGC officers, and recruiting militias from across the region, including Afghan, Pakistani, and Iraqi fighters. This intervention helped Assad regain control over much of the country. Iran also viewed the war as a chance to expand its \u201caxis of resistance\u201d against Israel, consolidating a land corridor from Tehran to the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>The Assad family\u2019s secular Ba\u2019athist ideology contrasts with Iran\u2019s theocratic Shi\u2019a governance, but their partnership endures due to shared goals. Both regimes oppose US policies in the region, support Palestinian resistance groups, and resist Sunni-dominated powers like Saudi Arabia and Turkey.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>For Iran, Syria acts as a critical bridge to Hezbollah in Lebanon and provides access to Israel\u2019s borders, complicating Israel\u2019s defense strategies and acting as an Iranian deterrence.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>While the Iran-Syria alliance remains strong, it faces challenges, including economic pressures and differing priorities in post-war reconstruction. Syria\u2019s dependence on Russia has introduced a new player into the dynamic, sometimes complicating Iran\u2019s influence. However, the IRGC\u2019s deep entrenchment in Syrian security and economic structures ensures its continued leverage.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>The relationship between Iran, the IRGC, and Syria is a multifaceted alliance defined by strategic necessity, ideological convergence, and mutual survival against shared adversaries. The IRGC\u2019s role as Iran\u2019s external arm ensures that Syria remains central to Iran\u2019s regional ambitions.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<h3>Missing friends<\/h3>\n<p>Over the course of 2024, Khamenei has lost some of his closest allies.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>The elimination of figures such as Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh (killed in Tehran itself), and Hamas\u2019s Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar will have led the Iranian leadership to be desperate to keep Assad \u2013 its closest ally in the region \u2013 in power, no matter what the cost.<\/p>\n<section class=\"fake-br-for-article-body\"\/>\n<p>In Khamenei\u2019s eyes, the umma is not just a concept but a mission, embodied in the jihadist groups that \u00a0Iran backs and the IRGC\u2019s extensive reach. His message, accusing HTS \u00a0of drawing attention away from Israel\u2019s wars and the Palestinian issue is merely a pretense hiding his real intention: Assad must stay in power, or Iran\u2019s influence will be critically wounded in Israel\u2019s periphery.&#13;<\/p>\n<section>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n<p>&#13;\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script>\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n  fbq('init', '1730128020581377');\n  fbq('track', 'PageView');\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/middle-east\/article-831597\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#13; At a time when Hezbollah and Israel have signed a shaky ceasefire and Hamas is seriously weakened in Gaza, one of Iran\u2019s other proxy strongholds in the Middle East &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=132619\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-132619","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-world","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132619","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=132619"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132619\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=132619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=132619"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=132619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}