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4Общие политические цели коалиции России и Ирана в сирийском конфликте
Гияси Захра,
аспирант по истории международных отношений, Российский государственный гуманитарный университет E-mail: zhr.ghiasii@gmail.com
После начала сирийского конфликта, который стал одной из наиболее заметных международных проблем последних лет, различные интересы региональных и межрегиональных игроков усложнили конфликт настолько, что ситуация преувеличивалась при проникновении террористов и экстремистских группировок. настолько сложна, что ситуация усугубляется при проникновении террористов и экстремистских группировок. И Иран, и Россия, основные участники конфликта, сближаются, чтобы поддержать Сирию из-за их совпадающих целей и последствий конфликтов для их национальной безопасности и будущих выгод на Ближнем Востоке. Кроме того, Сирия была единственным стратегическим союзником Ирана на Ближнем Востоке и последним партнером России после распада Советского Союза. Целью данной статьи является обсуждение общих целей, которые затрагивают коалицию обеих стран во время сирийского конфликта.
Ключевые слова: Сирийский конфликт, Иран, Россия, коалиция, Ближний Восток.
Introduction
Syria is one of the important and strategic countries in the Middle East. Its borders in Asia, Europe and Africa put Syria in the middle of Industrial Europe and the Middle East that highlighted its importance because of its common borderlines with Palestine, Iraq, Israeli, and Turkey.
Upon initiation of conflict in Syria, the regional and international actors adopted different approaches in Syria with its geopolitical and geostrategic significance in the Middle East. Due to the divergence of interests of these allies, each of them supporting opponent and proponent groups, the conflict was complicated and put them into two sides. One side sought to abolish Bashar Al Assad's government while the other one supported it intending to extend its government until the presidential elections. Considering their joint interests and threats rooted in the conflict, both Iran and Russia decided to contribute and stood at one side for the first time in the Middle East concerning a field war. At first, they supported Syria in political and diplomatic domains but gradually they started their military aids after complication of the situation, interference of terroristic groups, and the possibility of the abolishment of Syria. Three main grounds that put both countries on one side include "to continue the government of Bashar Al Assad, to prevent the penetration of west and to fight against terroristic groups and Islamic extremists." Below, it will refer to the targets of these countries that caused them to initiate their allied actions.
The Syria Conflict
The commencement of the Arabic revolutions in 2011 which endangered the stabilities of many countries in the Middle East and discharged their rulers and changed the Middle East, caused Syria to face a complex conflict. But the birth of conflict and objection of Syrians differed from other countries such as Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia, the first countries that engaged in revolutionary movements. Such differences became more evident after the formation of terroristic groups, their penetration into Syrian borders, and their sponsorship by foreign patrons. At first, it resembled a domestic war between the government and its opponents but gradually it turned into a full-scale war after the interference of foreign countries and the existence of terroristic groups.
The first protests began in March 2011 in Daraa- Syria, close to the Jordan-Syria border where the protestors' demonstrations were suppressed by the security forces, and its domain extended within a few months. When other Syrian countries joined the objections, the protests' nature became violent. During this period, the Free Syrian Army formed from the Army of Syria, the extremist groups appeared quickly and penetrated Syria, as planned. According to the statistical data, about 1500 different rebellious groups formed in Syria]6]. Among them, Al-Nusra Front and Daesh)ISIS(are notable in their organizational relationship with al-Qaeda and common ideology]4]. These rebellions sponsored by regional countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and trans-regional countries such as the USA and its western allies converted the Syrian conflict into one of the most complicated political and security challenges.
c^ The Syrian conflict changed into a full-scale war due to di-
vergent interests sought by its domestic, regional, and trans-
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regional actors. United Nation put out an estimate of about 400 thousand died, beyond 500 thousand injured and about seven million people wandered domestically and abroad. The conflict destroyed about 70% of the industry and more than 2 million residencies were also destructed or damaged]3, c. 12].
Consolidation of Bashar al-Assad Government
The protests and uprising that started in the Arab countries in 2011, changed the political grouping drastically, in addition to endangering the region. Despite Sudan, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Bahrain where the civil protest and reaction of governmental armed forces were evident, the Syrian protestors at the first moments adopted armed action while al-Qaeda and Taliban together with other terrorists from European countries, namely France, Belgium, Germany, etc, penetrated Syria. Besides the different nature of the uprising and commencement of conflict in Syria, the regional countries such as Saudi Arabia and foreign state actors like the USA, the protestors in and out of Syria, all called upon the resignation of President Bashar al- Assad. But the varying interest sought by the actors and their different expectations from the Syrian conflict caused their plan to fail. In this regard, both Iran and Russia stood on one side focusing on keeping the territorial integrity of Syria and preservation of Bashar al-Assad government to hold free presidential elections attended by Syrian people to decide over the future of their homeland.
What is evident is that the change of the Syrian government by the adoption of violent and harsh actions, either by extremists and terroristic groups or other regional and foreign actors, extremely endangered the interests of Iran and Russia as well. Libya is a good example. The alteration of the Libyan political regime did not result from a social and natural process in spite, it was instigated by western forces and NATO. This is why no deserved substitute replaced Gaddafi's government after elapse of many years.
For Iran, Syria is the most important and perhaps the only regional ally in the Middle East. After the revolution of I.R. Iran in 1979, Syria was among a few countries that recognized I.R. Iran and remarkably assisted Iran in the military, political, and intelligence domains in the Iran-Iraq war during 1980-1988. The first sparkles of Iranian missile bases were fired in Syria during this period when Hafez al-Assad agreed on the entry of Iranian missile experts into Syria for training purposes. After September 11 attacks and listing Iran and Syria among the rebellious and terrorist-supporting countries by President George W. Bush, both countries were mostly inclined to repulse the common threat both in the region and the world]7, c. 78]. Israel, one of their common threats, added to the convergence of foreign politics of Iran and Syria and their support of Palestine fighting groups; particularly Syria resembled a safe path for Iran to support Hezbollah- Lebanon, and borderlines of these two serve as the entrance line for Iran. Therefore, considering the security structure of Iran and Syria, any new substitute of Bashar al-Assad may endanger the Iran-Syria strategic plan that is vital for Iran. Not to mention, Syria may be the only country that can radically change the political atmosphere of the region, unions, and Middle East coalition during the insurgencies and uprising called Arab Spring. This conflict greatly threatens the strategic position of Iran in the region and provides Sunni countries with the chance to cut the Iran-Syria union and win the balance of powers in their favor. There is no accurate evidence that show the successor of Bashar al-Assad may decide to cooperate with Iran along with the goals of Iranian Axis of Resistance]5].
But concerning Russia-Syria relations, it should be noted that Syria is the last partner of Russia since the period of the
Soviet Union in the Middle East and the last strategic point of the Russian Federation in the Middle East and the Arab world as well. It dates back to old Moscow-Damascus relations and the direct military contribution of Russia in Tartus port, Syria. Like Tehran, Moscow did not intend to form a West-patron government in Damascus because it will disagree with the long-run interests of Russia. At the time being, Russia and Syria concluded strategic agreements at all political, economic, and military levels. By overthrowing of al-Assad government, these agreements will put in danger]1, c. 128]. Another issue that is very important for Russia is that the opponents of al-Assad in and out of Russia consist of a wide range of left-wing politics, occident patrons, and Islamic extremists, none of them can be a good successor of Bashar al-Assad to form a democratic government in the view of Moscow.
The obvious support of the west, particularly the USA, to discharge Bashar al-Assad and take the Syrian government into their side in one hand and geographical adjacency of Syria with former Russian republics persuaded Russia to collaborate with Iran in the Syrian conflict, to control the Syria conflict and keep the security of the borders of Post-Soviet states, and also prevent the collapse of Bashar al-Assad regime. What matters for Iran and Russia is that the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad government may empower extremist groups like what is happened in Afghanistan under the authority of the Taliban from late 1990 to 2001. Hence, the religious wars in Syria not only do not reduce but also may be aggravated]10].
Prevention from West Penetration
Due to its peculiar characteristics and key role in international policies, the Middle East is always targeted by great occidental governments. The attitude and interventions of these powers in the transformations and internal affairs of the countries in this area also had the enormous effect on the international results of these transformations. Recently, the USA is found to be the origin of the interventions in the Middle East supported by its major patrons, France and the UK.
Occupation of Afghanistan, invasion to Iraq without taking the authorization of the Security Council, penetration of NATO into the orient, Missile Defense Shield Plan in the Czech Republic and Poland followed by Turkey, all are among the recent unilateral actions of the US. In general, the post-cold war foreign policy of the US focused on three main principles: 1- security and preservation of the integrity of the Israeli and a multilateral defense of it; 2- confirmation of export of oil and energy sources out of the Middle East; 3- Supporting the proponent regimes and fighting against the opponent regime by applying various tactics even invasion in the name of fighting against terrorism and democratization]9, c. 13-14].
What is remarkable about Syria is its geopolitical and ge-ostrategic situation in this region that since the start of its conflict made the west, led by the USA, do its best in the realization of its aims. The major targets of the USA in the Syrian conflict including but not limited to: settlement of US forces to dominate Oil and Gas fields, supporting the goals of Israeli, prevention of Syrian political and security stability, contribution in the continuance of war between Iran and terrorists, weakening the power of central government and substituting Bashar al-Assad with an occidental patron.
Imitating the US, the European Union tried to weaken Bashar al-Assad's government. To do this, the EU imposed wide-range sanctions against the Syrian government to impose pressure to accept cease fire and initiate the negotiation. Furthermore, the EU suspended payment of 129 million Euro of its unilateral aids to the Syrian government during 2011-2013 and its financial support and granting loan, as
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well. In December 2012, it recognized the anti-Syrian forces and provided the armed insurgents with abundant military assistance. Accordingly, the EU officially revoked its weapon sanctions in Syria to transfer military equipment to the proponents and pressure on Bashar al-Assad government in April 2013]8].
All and all, it is obvious that the common positions of Europe and the US in the Syrian conflict were supporting opponents of the Syrian government, enfeeblement of government, and discharging Bashar al-Assad. Both Russia and Iran seriously objected to the extensive involvement and military actions of the USA in the Middle East. The roots of such a mutual agreement on the current crisis in Syria must be seen in their common concern about broadening the western penetration in the Middle East. Iran and Russia object to the political, economic, and military engagement of the west in their surrounding regions due to various historic and geopolitical grounds and protection of their national security and interests.
Kremlin finds the Arab-countries' conflicts as civil movements intervened by the west who seek to make economic, security, political, geopolitical changes in the Middle East into their favor that result in restriction of Russian engagements. Iraq was one of the favorite sites of Russia that exited from its possession after the military attack of the USA and its allies. Libya with its numerous military agreements with Russia that founded wholly its military structures as well faced the NATO's invasion and all its Russian structures were destructed by NATO aircraft. During recent years, Moscow objected to the USA for taking unilateral tactics in international events, NATO expansion into the east, establishment of missile defense shield plan in the Czech Republic, Poland, Turkey, instigation of Colour Revolutions in the regions adjacent to Russia, the involvement of west-patron political and cultural bodies and development of economic activities of west particularly in the field of energy]12].
Because for Iran, Syria is the only strategically among Arab countries and its agreement on Iran's anti-west policies, losing Syria will greatly demolish Iranian contribution in regional policies. Accordingly, the Arabian and African presidents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran; focusing on Iran's support of Axis of Resistance and president Bashar al-Assad; talked about the foreign policy of Iran respecting Syrian conflict founding on four axles: stop violence and murder in Syria, stop military and political intervention by invaders and protection of Bashar al-Assad's government together with the necessity of Land Reforms based on civil elections to determine the future of their country.
Fight against terrorist groups
One of the major concerns of Middle East countries is the lack of powerful domestic security that made central government vulnerable and the terroristic groups began to appear in the vacuum of power. Accordingly, the Takfiri groups took the opportunity to grow and divide into various cults after resurgences in Arab countries. The most familiar cults are Daesh and Al-Nusra Front that due to their common ideological orientation with their main origin, Al-Qaida, developed instantly and absorbed many forces all around the world. Concerning Syrian conflict, these forces entered the battle from the very first moments because the first confrontations arose in Daraa in the Syria-Jordan borderline showing the foreign interven-^ tions, both military and terroristic,)Daesh and Al-Nusra(]3, c. £3 57], gradually extended into Damascus and ultimately they m occupied a vast area of Syria.
ca There is no doubt that the stability and security of the Mid-oj dle East directly affect the national and security interests of as Iran. Since the birth of extremist groups in the region, I.R. Iran
always reminded the regional countries especially the Islamic world, in the international arenas, about the hazards and instability caused by such groups. It also indicates that some regional countries such as Saudi Arabia's support of discussion of Salafi and extremist Islamic groups are detrimental to the Islamic world.
The fast penetration of Daesh in Iraq and Syria directly threatened the security of I.R. Iran. In 2014, Daesh forces extended their occupation as close to the Khanaqin border (Khosravi border in Kermanshah). Also, on 07 June 2017, a terroristic attack led by Daesh happened in Islamic Parliament and Imam Khomeini's shrine in Tehran that remained 17 dead and 52 injured. Daesh proves to be the greatest security danger for Iran during the recent decades. Furthermore, Daesh threatened the territorial integrity and security of Iran and the Iranian national union as well. Instigating religious tension particularly the disunity of Shiite and Sunni are among the dangerous consequences of Daesh in this region mainly in Sunni-occupying provinces at west and southwest of Iran such as Kurdistan and Khuzestan, where the sensitivity of Sunni may be provoked. All these together made I.R. Iran deploy whole its security, political and military potentials to destroy terrorists in Syria and Iraq and to realize its goal by relying on its allies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and The Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq.
But the most crucial collaboration in this area was between the Iranian land force and the Russian air force. Iran that empowered Syria with its military and economic assistance since the onset of the conflict, also dispatched a part of its military forces by the complication of the conflict. Upon military involvement of Russia in the conflict in 2015 and bombardment of Daesh sites, a new chapter started in the Syrian battles. For the first time since 1979, Iran let a foreign country that is Russia to use its land to take military actions in a third country.
After the collapse of the USSR, Russia always focused on some issues as a security threat, one of them is Radical Islam henceforth, it objects development and expansion of terrorists in the Middle East and always condemned their terroristic invades. Radical Islamic groups have been very important for Russia because 20 million Muslims lived in the independent republics that formed south of the Russian Federation]2, c. 55]. This is why the formation of any radical Islamic group in the regions controlling by Russia is called a hazard against its security. Russia views what happened in the Arab World since 2011 not only as Arab Spring but also as Islamic Revolution. Iran and Russia indicate that Western patrons and the liberals in the Arab world provided the means of power transfer to religious radicals' ad al-Qaeda's allies.]13, c. 10]
After the Syrian conflict, Russia contented itself to support Bashar al-Assad with political aids but by more expansion of Daesh and their domination over some regions in Syria, Russia declared its military contribution followed by its air attacks to Daesh-occupied regions. It should be said that Russia tried to establish peace and security in the Middle East and prevented from penetration of conflicts like what happened in Syria into its controlled regions in Central Asia and Caucasia to manage the Syrian crisis and terminate it somehow in favor of Bashar al-Assad's proponents]11, c. 5].
Conclusion
Syria's peculiar position in the Middle East for its geographic and strategic situation always has been important. Since USSR, Syria was the only patron of Russia and the unique strategic ally of I.R. Iran in the Middle East.
The onset of the Syrian conflict was different from other revolts in Arab countries, what is called Arab Spring, interpreted as Islamic awareness to a wide extent. At the official
summon of Syria, both Iran and Russia stood at one side to protect their interests by supporting the Syrian government via fighting against its opponents. Among the main targets of both countries for contribution in the conflict and their political and military collaboration was prevention for the collapse of Bashar al-Assad government via violent measures)used by opponents(, prevention of western expansion, and objection to US unilateralism in the Middle East and fighting against terrorism and Islamic extremism that endangered the territorial integrity of Syria. Sharing these interests, the Syrian conflict put Iran and Russia for the first time on one side; in terms of their operations; and they stood close together during a specified period to create a collation within a sensible time frame.
Iran and Russia had their own goals and interests for entering this crisis. These two countries become closer when dealing with problems such as preventing the influence of the West, particularly the United States, through tactical and cross-sectional support for the Bashar al-Assad government and the fighting against terrorist groups, - all that helped them to form a coalition in this area.
However, it should be noted that the structure of the international system does not always allow the governments to keep their friendships and continue their strategic cooperation forever. Since, being in an anarchic system, governments always strive to ensure their own interests and intends to increase their power, hence the cooperation will only continue until it is able to provide national interests and power for the countries.
We should take into account that Russian interests in the Middle East are in some different aspects and do not completely coincide with the Iranian. Russia seeks mutual understanding to establish constructive relations with all countries of the region, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, with which Iran has tense relations. This is very difficult for Russia to building strategic partnerships with Iran.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has decided to support the Assad government and be involved in continuous presence in the crisis because it considers Syria as their strategic geopolitical place in the region and the centerpiece of their regional foreign policy in the western region of Asia. Iran doesn't have a strategic ally, except Syria, not in the region nor beyond the region. In this situation, Syria can play a very important role in Iran's security policies.
Actually, the Middle-East has remained a zone and an area for the presence of America and other trans-regional powers with the their hard and special software. But, it is also clear that Russia's plan for the Middle East does not necessarily depend on the full cooperation with Iran. Of course, the Islamic Republic of Iran has the greatest potential for continuing its strategic cooperation with Russia in the Middle East due to its cooperative records with Russia, and the alignment of the two countries at the international level.
Литература
1. Abedi A. Middle Eastern Policy of Russia // Political Sciences Quarterly, Strategy, No. 5.1.2009.
2. Adami A. Position of the Security Resistance in Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran // Journal of Political Studies Islamic World.2015, Fourth Year, Page 1-19.
3. Amir Abdollahian, Hossein (2020), Morning of Syria. Tehran: SoorehMehrpublication.
4. Attari, Saeid; Saeidirad, Arash (2018) Future of Syria and its opportunities and challenges for I.R. Iran. Journal of strategic study of public policy-making. Course 8. V.28.
5. Barkey H. Turkey takes over the Arab Spring // Car-negie.2011, URL: http: //carnegieendowment. org/2011/04/26/turkey-and-arab-spring-pub-43731
6. Bassiri Tabrizi, Aniseh; PantucciRaffaello (2016) Understanding Iran's Role in the Syrian Conflict. Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies
7. DarvishiSetalani, Farhad (2016). Constructivist and neorealist analysis of strategic relation of Iran and Syria. Journal of Achievements of Islamic Revolution; 6786:35
8. Guardian, March 1, 2013. - URL: https://www.theguard-ian.com/world/middle-east-live/2013/mar/01/syria-crisis-kerry-visits-turkey-live. (accessed 27.02.2019)
9. Kalba A. American foreign policy in the Middle East and popular movements now // Strategic Research Center. June 2011, No.367, P. 13-14
10. Kaplan R. Syria and the Limits of Comparison, Strat-for.28 August 2013
11. Menkiszak M. Russia's Strategy towards the Crisis in Syria // The Finnish Institute of International Affairs.2013, p.5. - URL: https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/164891/bp131. pdf. (accessed 12.03.2019)
12. Therme C. Russia and Iran's Growing Cooperation hints at the New Middle East, March, 2017.-URL: http://theconversation.com/russia-and-irans-growing-cooperation-hints-at-a-newmiddle- east-75181. (ac-cessed17.04.2019)
13. Trenin D. Russia's Policy in the Middle East, Prospects forConsensus and Conflict with the United States. The Century Foundation, NewYork, 2010.
GENERAL POLITICAL GOALS OF THE RUSSIAN-IRANIAN COALITION IN THE SYRIAN CONFLICT
Zahra Ghiasi
Russian State University for the humanities
After the beginning of the Syria conflict that turned to be one of the most notable international issues in recent years, the different interests of regional and trans-regional actors made the conflict more complicated such that the condition is exaggerated upon entry of terrorists and extremist groups. Both Iran and Russia, the major actors of the conflict, get closer together to support Syria because of their convergent targets and the consequences of the conflicts on their national security and future benefits in the Middle East. Also, Syria has been the only strategic ally of Iran in the Middle East and the last partner of Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. This paper aims to discuss the common targets which affect the coalition of both countries during the Syria conflict.
Keywords: Syrian conflict, Iran, Russia, coalition, Middle East, interests.
References
1. Abedi A. Middle Eastern Policy of Russia // Political Sciences Quarterly, Strategy, No. 5.1.2009.
2. Adami A. Position of the Security Resistance in Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran // Journal of Political Studies Islamic World.2015, Fourth Year, Page 1-19.
3. Amir Abdollahian, Hossein (2020), Morning of Syria. Tehran: SoorehMehrpublication.
4. Attari, Saeid; Saeidirad, Arash (2018) Future of Syria and its opportunities and challenges for I.R. Iran. Journal of strategic study of public policy-making. Course 8. V.28.
5. Barkey H. Turkey takes over the Arab Spring // Carnegie.2011, URL: http: //carnegieendowment.org/2011/04/26/turkey-and-ar-ab-spring-pub-43731
6. Bassiri Tabrizi, Aniseh; PantucciRaffaello (2016) Understanding Iran's Role in the Syrian Conflict. Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies
7. DarvishiSetalani, Farhad (2016). Constructivist and neorealist analysis of strategic relation of Iran and Syria. Journal of Achievements of Islamic Revolution; 67-86:35
8. Guardian, March 1, 2013. - URL: https://www.theguardian.com/ world/middle-east-live/2013/mar/01/syria-crisis-kerry-visits-turkey-live. (accessed 27.02.2019)
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9. Kalba A. American foreign policy in the Middle East and popular movements now // Strategic Research Center.June 2011, No. 367, P. 13-14
10. Kaplan R. Syria and the Limits of Comparison, Stratfor.28 August 2013
11. Menkiszak M. Russia's Strategy towards the Crisis in Syria // The Finnish Institute of International Affairs.2013, p.5. - URL: https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/164891/bp131.pdf. (accessed 12.03.2019)
12. Therme C. Russia and Iran's Growing Cooperation hints at the New Middle East, March, 2017.-URL: http://theconver-sation.com/russia-and-irans-growing-cooperation-hints-at-a-newmiddle- east-75181. (accessed17.04.2019)
13. Trenin D. Russia's Policy in the Middle East, Prospects forCon-sensus and Conflict with the United States. The Century Foundation, NewYork, 2010.
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