Over 1 million pilgrims benefit from golf cart service at Grand Mosque during Ramadan    Visitors welcomed with Eid initiative at Thee Ain Heritage Village in Al-Baha    Tebuk emir reviews rain response in Tayma    Saudi Arabia considers rent cap as part of major real estate reforms    Messi's bodyguard banned from touchline at Inter Miami games    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Le Pen vows to appeal political ban, calls verdict a 'denial of democracy'    Death toll from Myanmar earthquake rises to 2,719 as rescue efforts continue    Russia, Ukraine trade blame over new energy strikes    Putin orders Russia's largest military call-up in over a decade    Albania hosts MWL chief for Eid sermon at largest mosque in the Balkans    Haramain High-Speed Railway transports over 1.2 million passengers during Ramadan    Saudi Transport Authority says passengers can ride for free if taxi meters are off    Ministry of Education forms 425 community partnerships with SR653 million impact    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    T1 CEO confirms Gumayusi's return for LCK Spring after lineup shakeup    100 Thieves claim Marvel Rivals Invitational NA crown as 2025 scene heats up    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Saudi Arabia hold Japan to goalless draw in Saitama to stay in World Cup hunt    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Iran and the Syrian Fire
Published in AL HAYAT on 06 - 08 - 2012

In the past decade, Iran collected many gold medals, often without even competing in any contests. Iran collected the first one in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, which sparked a war between the “Great Satan" and al-Qaeda. The second came when U.S. forces uprooted the Taliban regime, which had never concealed its hostility to the Iranian regime. Then Iran won its third medal when U.S. troops toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein, who had once forced Iran to keep the embers of its revolution confined within its borders. Then it took the fourth medal with the July War in Lebanon in 2006.
Things looked rosy for the grand Iranian scheme. Ahmadinejad visited Baghdad, despite the fact that U.S. troops were deployed there, and he seemed confident that they were waiting for the nearest opportunity to leave. He also visited Damascus, and the group photo of him, Bashar al-Assad and Hassan Nasrallah proclaimed the emergence of the Pro-Resistance Crescent. Then, Ahmadinejad did not squander the opportunity he had during his visit to Beirut and South Lebanon, to remind regional and international powers that his country was now bathing its rockets in the waters of the Mediterranean.
Iran won the gold medals, then began to rush forward along the path of its grand scheme: A nuclear bomb, or at least, acquiring the ability to produce one, and the big role that can threaten the security of oil supplies and of Israel together.
When the Arab spring erupted, Iran tried to suggest it had intimate links to it. It rejoiced in seeing the friends of the West ousted. But when the spring erupted in Syria, it fell into a costly trap. It simply could not escape its deep and close alliance with the Syrian regime. Neither neutrality was possible, nor was staying away.
Syria is not just a corridor to Hezbollah in Lebanon. It is much more than that. The relationship with Syria is the most important achievement of Khomeini's revolution. Having a presence in Damascus signifies being also present in Beirut, South Lebanon, the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Palestinian question. Being present in Damascus prevents the establishment of any serious Arab barrier to Iranian incursion into the region.
Iran cannot concede defeat in Syria. Losing Syria would deal a severe blow to Hezbollah's halo, arsenal, cards and weight in the region, and its ability to both attack and defend. Losing Syria means that Iran would be losing its Palestinian extension, especially after Khaled Mashaal left Damascus. Furthermore, losing Syria would strengthen the cause of those who are calling for the balances in Iraq to be readjusted. In this sense, losing Syria threatens to strip Iran of the medals it had collected in the past decade. The dismantlement of the pro-resistance crescent undermines the Iranian role, and at the same time, Tehran's position in the nuclear negotiations.
Iran cannot accept to lose Syria. But it cannot save the Syrian regime either. This regime has suffered severe injury and structural damages. No doubt, the ruling party was dealt fatal blows. The image of the army, too, suffered alarming blows, and the same can be said of the image of decision makers in Syria.
The Syrian crisis has lured Iran to an overt and horrific clash with the majority in Syria and the region, a clash with a sectarian overtone highlighted by the repeated incidents of kidnapping of Iranian nationals in Syria. The isolation that has blighted the Syrian regime, has also affected Iran, despite the continued defiance shown by Russia.
Iran is twirling over the Syrian fire. It cannot dissociate itself or stay away, but at the same time, cannot overturn the course of events. The Syrian developments hurt Iran and so do the sanctions. Since the outbreak of its war with Iraq, Iran has not faced such difficult circumstances. Escaping the Syrian crisis by provoking a war in South Lebanon or a major crisis in the Gulf seems fraught with dangers. Sending volunteers to Syria would add fuel to the fire of the sectarian regional war. Wagering on retaining a portion of Syria implies opening the door for manipulating maps and borders, or in other words, opening the gates of hell, and it also requires the consent of Vladimir Putin, who is attempting to exploit Syrian blood to restore the standing of his country.
Iran is twirling over the Syrian fire. It is launching new generations of missiles like an anxious boxer who wants to remind the world of his muscles. But the time for gold medals is gone. Now is the time of losses.


Clic here to read the story from its source.