What is Iran looking for in Syria?

In the first week of August political traffic by senior officials escalated dramatically amongst Western and Arab capitals, all focused on the deteriorating crisis in Syria and political solutions for this issue. The latest such meeting took place in Tehran with Assad’s top diplomat Walid Mualem meeting with senior Iranian regime officials. He met with his Iranian counterpart and afterwards the Russian deputy foreign minister exchanging thoughts on the critical situation in Syria, mainly focusing on economic and security issues.

Peace plan, or plan to save Assad

In the middle of August coinciding with the nuclear agreement signed between the P5+1 and Iran, the mullahs in Tehran presented a new “peace” plan for Syria with the foreign ministry being behind this new push.

IRGC’s intervention and heavy casualties in Syria

In the 3 years of war in Syria, the Quds Force has been one of the main security forces of Bashar Assad in and has suffered heavy casualties from the Free Syrian Army and the opposition.

In the beginning of the month of August there was news about the casualties of IRGC forces in Syria. The news was that to this date some 1500 IRGC forces were killed in Syria and double that number were wounded.

Houthi defeats in Yemen

Losing control over Aden and afterwards the strategic al-Anad air base in Yemen to forces loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi were major blows to Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. It is now expected all cities will be liberated from Houthi occupation in a short period.

Amendment presented by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in response to demonstrators

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi issued a 7-article statement on Sunday, August 9^th consisting of changes made in government ranks in line with realizing the demonstrators’ demands. Al-Abadi enjoyed the support of senior religious leaders in Iraq and the declaration of this reform package by al-Abadi was considered a political earthquake by the Iranian regime, showing Tehran was caught completely off guard.

Rights groups, US Embassy gravely concerned of Shiite militants recruiting juveniles

Human rights groups have expressed grave concerns over the use of juvenile fighters under the legal age to take part in the files of Shiite militants for the fight against ISIS in al-Anbar Province. Shiite militants strongly deny any such matters.

Iran’s presence and intervention in Syria

The Iranian regime has established a religious university in Syria named the “Al-Mostafa University” in order to train theology and to mobilize forces to use in fronts.

Jama’aMostafa (Mostafa University)

Syria’s Mostafa University has 550 theology students, 350 men and 200 women.

The Mostafa University has established 4 districts in Syria for these theology students. Two districts are in Damascus, one of which is in the Zein al-Abedin area and the other in near the Hazrat-e Zeinab shrine. There is also another district in Homs and the forth is in northern Aleppo in Nable and Zahra. This area is surrounded by the al-Nosra Front and the Free Syrian Army.