Resistance costs less than compromise
By Ahmad
Ariaeinejad
Iranian lawmaker
Although regime change in Syria happened quite swiftly, it reveals a deeper story when examined more closely. The plan to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad had been in the works for years, and the likely outcome of the overthrow is the establishment of a Taliban-like government in Syria. The group currently in control of Syria is largely backed by Turkey and has carried out military operations with the support of Ankara and the promises made by Arab states such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The failure of the former Syrian regime to heed Iran’s warnings also played a key role in this outcome.
Iran had warned the Syrians about recent developments; however, Iran has its own strategic interests in the region. When its warnings go unheard and there is no receptive audience, it cannot do much more. However, in the past, when over 80% of Syrian territory was under the control of ISIS, the Syrian regime heeded Iran’s and its regional allies’ advice. Despite significant sacrifices to preserve Syria, the Assad government was ultimately kept afloat.
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