Concerns Raised by Khamenei's Advisor Over Potential 'Deal' Between Russia and the U.S. Regarding Syria

On Thursday, the military advisor to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic expressed concerns that in a potential 'deal' between Russia and the United States regarding Syria, American interests might be prioritized, leaving Iran with a smaller share. According to Mehr News Agency, Yahya Rahim Safavi, advisor to Ayatollah Khamenei, stated during a television program that there exists an alliance between Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah on one side, and an opposing coalition of 'Arab countries', Jordan, Turkey, the U.S., and Israel. He also mentioned, 'However, there is currently a mechanism between the Americans and the Russians, and we hope that the Americans do not deceive the Russians and do not place them in a game that benefits American interests more or gives less to Iran.' He emphasized that these two powers engage in 'deals' and that Iranian politicians must be vigilant, ensuring that 'Iran's interests and share are not overlooked.' The former commander of the Revolutionary Guards stated that 'in politics, certainty and belief are not present; rather, what matters is acting and interests.' He added, 'Therefore, we must be careful about our interests, especially in creating sustainable security and strategic defense depth for Iran.' Previously, Iranian officials, including Ali Akbar Velayati, advisor on international affairs to the Supreme Leader, had declared the survival of Bashar al-Assad in power until the end of his presidential term a 'red line' for the Islamic Republic. Assad's current presidential term will continue until 2021. However, some analysts believe that this issue is not a red line for Russia and that the country may agree to Assad's resignation under specific conditions. Meanwhile, in August, Russia's use of the Nojeh Air Base (Shahrokhi) in Hamadan for attacks on targets in Syria from Iran sparked significant discussions. At that time, Hossein Dehghan, Iran's defense minister, implicitly criticized the announcement of Russian fighter jets' presence at the Hamadan airbase, stating that Russia had shown 'ingratitude' in this matter. On the other hand, some analysts pointed out instances such as Russia's agreement to sanctions against Iran at the UN Security Council, delays in completing the Bushehr nuclear power plant, and preventing the delivery of the S-300 missile system to Iran, declaring that Russia is not a reliable partner for Iran. The Syria Support Group, consisting of 23 countries including the U.S., Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, began negotiations in New York on September 30, coinciding with the 71st UN General Assembly, but these talks ended on Thursday without reaching an agreement. In this context, John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated that the United States needs Bashar al-Assad and his main ally Russia to also 'play their part' in resolving the Syrian disputes. Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, also mentioned that the opposition in Syria demands the removal of Bashar al-Assad from power, but this should not come 'at the cost of empowering terrorist groups like ISIS.' Two weeks ago, Russia and the U.S. agreed on a ceasefire in northern Syria, but this ceasefire was violated by airstrikes on aid convoys and an attack on a Red Crescent warehouse in northern Syria.