Analyzing Syria-Iran Relations; Strategic Alliance Against Terrorism.
Syria and Iran are each other’s most important allies in the West Asian region. Accordingly, at the same time as the new movements of terrorist groups around Aleppo, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi traveled to Syria in line with the principled policy of supporting strategic allies, which is always on the agenda of Iran’s foreign policy.
Iran-Syria Alliance Based on Common Interests
The main motivation and driving force for establishing a strategic alliance between Iran and Syria in the current regional conditions is to increase security in confronting external and immediate threats. Iran, due to vital security interests, took a pragmatic approach to the alliance with Syria in the 1980s and, due to its benefits for both actors, helped to sustain it in the following decades. Therefore, the emergence and continuation of the Iran-Syria alliance since its formation in 1979 has been one of the most important political-security developments in West Asia.
The importance of Syria in the strategic alliance with Iran
Stephen Walt said in 2018, explaining the common approaches of Iran and Syria, that the two countries have tried in recent years to thwart US efforts in West Asia and have always pursued a consistent policy in regional campaigns and interactions. The strategic alliance between Iran and Syria is important for Iran from several perspectives. Syria allows the resistance to exercise its regional power through the Levant and has a gateway to Hezbollah. The Syrian bastion is the support and solidifier of the deterrent layer located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea against the Zionist regime.
The importance of Iran in the strategic alliance with Syria
Since 2011, with the beginning of the Syrian crisis, Iran has been the only serious regional supporter of the Syrian government and people. In fact, it was Iran’s efforts alongside the Syrian Arab Army that kept the country’s political system intact in 2011-2015, when most of Syria was in the hands of terrorist groups. Later, as many regional experts have said, it was Iran’s insistence on supporting Syria that encouraged a country like Russia to take on the task of air support for ground operations in Syria. The strategic alliance of the two countries and the importance of strategic depth between the two countries have led to the presence of Iranian advisors in Syria since 2011. This presence is ongoing at four levels: strategic, operational, tactical, and technical.
1- At the strategic level, Iran announced its political and moral support for the Syrian government, and its military commanders transferred their experiences as advisors to the Syrian army commanders.
2- At the operational level, Iranian commanders assisted the Syrian army commanders in planning and conducting operations against terrorists.
3- At the tactical level, Iranian advisors were physically present in the field and assisted the Syrian army commanders on the battlefield.