Bashar al-Assad Says Iran and Hezbollah's Presence in Syria is Necessary

Bashar al-Assad stated that he needs the 'help' of Iran and Hezbollah forces in Syria and that they will remain in the country 'as long as necessary.' In an interview with Al-Alam on June 13, the Syrian president mentioned that the Islamic Republic, unlike Russia, does not have military bases in Syria, but 'if the Iranians need a military base, we will not spare any effort to provide it.' Assad added that 'Iran, like Russia, is an ally' of his government. He noted that during the seven years of civil war in his country, he received significant assistance from Iranian 'advisors,' as well as foreign Shiite militias and Hezbollah forces from Lebanon. The Syrian civil war began in 2011 after a severe crackdown on largely peaceful protests against Assad's government. It did not take long for protests to turn into armed conflicts, ultimately drawing in regional and global powers into the Syrian crisis. The Islamic Republic and Moscow are the main supporters of Bashar al-Assad, and despite ongoing Western criticisms, they have supported the Syrian central government both financially and militarily over the years. In his interview with Al-Alam, the Arabic-language television network of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Assad stated that Shiite militias and Hezbollah have helped the central government in Damascus reclaim 40 percent of Syria. The Syrian president referred to Hezbollah as a 'fundamental element' in the civil war, stating, 'the battle is long, and we will need these armed forces for a long time.' Assad emphasized that he has invited his allies to cooperate and, despite criticisms and protests from the U.S. and Israel regarding their presence in Syria, he will not ask them to leave even within the framework of a peace agreement. Israel views the presence of the Islamic Republic in Syria and the expansion of Tehran's influence near its borders as a threat to its security. Tehran not only does not recognize Israel as a state but has seen its officials, including the Supreme Leader, repeatedly speak of its 'destruction.' These statements have faced criticism and protests from various countries, leading to tensions between the international community and Tehran. To dismantle Iran's influence in Syria, Israel has also engaged in discussions with Moscow and has simultaneously carried out various attacks on Iranian-Syrian targets, convoys, and Hezbollah bases and other militias supported by Tehran. Recently, Russian officials have emphasized that with the end of the civil war and the establishment of peace, foreign forces, including Iran and Hezbollah, must leave Syria. Bashar al-Assad stated in his interview with Al-Alam that the future of relations between Damascus and Tehran 'will not be part of any agreement' and that this process 'is not an international market.' In another part of his interview, he said, 'Whenever Iran and Hezbollah see that terrorism has been eradicated, they will then tell us that they intend to return to their homeland.' The Syrian government and its allies consider a wide range of Bashar al-Assad's opponents as 'terrorists' and have attacked various groups in Syria under this description. These attacks have repeatedly faced international criticism, including from the United Nations. The U.S. and its allies consider the group known as the Islamic State and its branches as terrorist and support a number of Syrian rebels. The United Nations has called for investigations into the civilian killings in the attacks by Assad and his allies, as well as the attacks by the U.S.-led coalition in Syria. The Syrian civil war has left over half a million dead, displaced more than half of Syria's population, and destroyed vast sections of its infrastructure, civil, economic, and historical centers.