The real reason why iran backs syria the national interest. The execution of a shiite cleric in saudi arabia and the burning of riyadhs embassy in iran has one again flamed sunnishiite tensions and set the tiny arab oil sheikhdoms on edge. The united states has strongly criticized both syria and iran for contributing to the regions volatility and, in particular, for playing a destabilizing role in each of three regional conflicts. The syrian civil war and turkeysyriairan relations core reader. The political alliance between syria and iran has sustained itself. Leaders from lebanon to yemen are fretting about iranian machinations in arab countries. Irans relations towards iraq, syria and lebanon under ahmadinejad.
You will be redirected to the full text document in the repository in a few seconds, if not click here. Understanding irans role in the syrian conflict rusi. Iran backed almost all movements opposing the authoritarian sunni regimes in the arab countries except syria. Syriairan relations 20002014 international journal of. Relations between iran and syria have has gone through six distinct phases. The syrian civil war which broke out in march 2011 further destabilized the middle east in general and the levant in particular. The two countries shared a common animosity towards then iraqi president saddam hussein and coordination against the united states and israel. Syria cooperates with iran in providing lebanese hezbollah with arms. The alliances breadth has insured that the bilateral relationship is not merely a tactical marriage of convenience. Iran s regional policy underwent changes due to a number of internal and external factors. After having intervened to save syrian president bashar alassad from being toppled, swinging the war definitively against the rebels just as his government appeared to be. Syria s relations with iran illustrate the importance of what glenn snyder calls the alliance dilemma. Syria is home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world, with a rich artistic and cultural heritage.
Syrian civil war and turkeyiran relations turkeyiran relations have become int erdependent on the basis of trade, security and politics to some extent mainly due to expanding relations. Tehrans ultimate ambitions in syria, its relations with the other state and. Iran and syria have had a strategic alliance ever since the iran iraq war, when syria sided with nonarab iran against neighbouring baathruled iraq. The us, whose relations with iran had soured after the islamic revolution of 1979, has been the leading external power in the region over the past two decades1. This includes iranian support for lebanese hezbollah and saudi support. Desecuritization of turkeys relations with syria and iran. However, with the outburst of the arab spring in the middle east, turkey was caught off guard and the mass demonstrations on the arab streets forced ankara to reshape. The relationship between syria and iran is receiving new scrutiny as an israeli offensive against lebanonsparked by an attack on israeli soldiers by the. Syria s complex and devastating civil war has drawn in multiple foreign powers since it broke out in 2011.
This paper investigates the roots of iranian foreign policy toward iraq and syria after the. The alliance between the syrian regime and the iranian leadership is, on the face of it, puzzling. What is behind the hostility between iran and turkey. Managing the saudiiran rivalry council on foreign relations. Pdf on apr 4, 2015, ozden oktav and others published syrian civil war and turkeysyriairan relations find, read and cite all the research you need on. Turkey, iran vow to work closer on syria after us announces pullout meeting rouhani in ankara, erdogan declares there is much the two countries can do to stop the fighting in the region and to. Syrias alliance with iran united states institute of peace. Syria, iran, and the mideast conflict council on foreign. Efforts to strengthen the strategic partnership with tehran have had a direct impact on. Saudi arabia and iran s rivalry is key to the middle east in 2018 regional chaos is set to continue with no solution in sight to yemen crisis and power struggle over shape of postwar syria. Bani nasur, syriairan relations 20002014, international journal of. Pdf at a time when the syrian crisis is still continuing because of the two.