“KNOW BETTER WITH MESOP” – Tehran’s Latest Show of Support for Syria’s Assad

August 05 – By Scott Lucas – eaworldview – In its latest show of support for Syria’s President Assad, Iran has sent a leading MP to Damascus.

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the chairman of Parliament’s National Security Commission, met Assad on Thursday. A coordinated statement, carried by Iranian and Syrian State media, declared the two men agreed that the “insistence of some countries on irrational policies and supporting terrorism…is not in the interest of those countries and has helped the spread of terrorism and regional insecurity”.Assad insisted that “the region’s nations will stand against these policies to tackle terrorism and maintain their independence”.Boroujerdi endorsed the view with the declaration that a victory for the Assad regime in the Syrian civil war could “re-draw the map of the region“. The Iranian-Syrian statement proclaimed:

Boroujerdi expressed his confidence that Syria and the axis of resistance will achieve victory soon, affirming that the Iranian people and leadership will continue to support the Syrian leadership and people in all fields to enable them to achieve victory in the battle against Takfiri terrorism and restore security and stability all over Syria.

The MP later told the Tasnim News Agency that the US and Israel have launched new plots against President Assad: “The Zionist regime, the US, and some of their allies have a joint project to support armed movements with the aim of opening new fronts in southern Syria.”

Visit Amid Increasing Challenges for Iran

Iran’s political, economic, and military assistance has been essential to the Assad regime’s survival since the Syrian uprising began in March 2011.

However, Tehran has faced increasing difficulties over its support as it has put more commanders, troops, and Iranian-led foreign militia onto the battlefield to accompany Russia’s aerial intervention.

Since early April, Iranian forces have suffered a series of losses at the hands of Syrian rebels near Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, with the Revolutionary Guards acknowledging significant casualties.

Earlier this month, Iran helped pro-Assad forces cut off the last route into opposition-held areas of Aleppo; however, rebels renewed pressure on Iran and the Syrian military this week with a major offensive to the southwest of the city.

Despite the military challenge, Tehran has maintained firm support of Assad, declaring that his removal from power is a “red line” that cannot be crossed.

Supreme Leader’s Aide Tries to Change Turkish Policy

Continuing the regime’s effort to shift Turkey’s policy of opposition to the Assad regime, the Supreme Leader’s top aide rewrote recent history in a Thursday statement.

Ali Akbar Velayati commented on the July 15 coup attempt against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: “Most interestingly Syrian President Bashar Assad was among those who actually expressed support for Erdoğan’s government and condemned the coup.”

In fact, Assad supporters in Damascus celebrated on the night of July 15 when they thought the coup would succeed. The Assad regime maintained a careful silence after Erdoğan and his supporters in the Turkish security forces put down the uprising.

Velayati has led a regime effort to take advantage of the failed coup. Iran’s leaders were quick to congratulate Erdoğan and to praise expanded Iranian-Turkish ties.

In addition to trying to move Ankara away from the Syrian opposition and rebels, Tehran is hoping to boost trade with Turkey amid Iran’s economic difficulties and issues over continuing US-led sanctions.

Velayati told the pro-Assad Lebanese outlet al-Mayadeen on Thursday: The Islamic Republic of Iran immediately took a stance in support of the legitimate government of Turkey, because we are opposed to any coup and exerting of pressure against legitimate governments and the process of democracy….

[Other countries] made every effort for the victory of the coup plotters until the very last moment, and even when the coup failed, the [Saudi-owned] al-Arabiya channel voiced regret over the defeat. www.mesop.de