Deputy Commander of the IRGC: Our Position in Syria is to Elevate to a Major Regional Power

The Deputy Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) states that Saudi Arabia "lacks the military capability to change the situation" in Syria, and Iran's presence in the country is for strategic reasons and to "elevate the Islamic Republic's status to a major regional power." Hossein Salami, in an interview with Iran's state television on February 6, accused Saudi Arabia of providing "financial, military, and spiritual" support to what he referred to as "takfiri forces" in Syria. According to Tasnim news agency, Salami stated that Saudi Arabia "does not have the military capability to change the situation" in Syria. This is the second statement from senior IRGC officials in one day regarding Saudi Arabia's readiness to send troops to Syria. Mohammad Ali Jafari, the IRGC commander, also said on Saturday that he does not believe the Saudi government "has the courage to do this, and if they do, it would be a fatal blow to themselves." Iranian military officials have repeatedly questioned Saudi Arabia's military capabilities and threatened the Riyadh government, speaking of its "collapse." The Saudi government has also repeatedly accused Iran of interfering in Arab countries and "supporting terrorism," warning about its activities. "Our position regarding Syria and Iraq is not solely Iranian; security, strategic interests, and elevating the Islamic Republic of Iran to a major regional power are realities that are on our agenda," Salami emphasized in his television interview, stating that the IRGC's presence in Iraq and Syria is not only to prevent conflicts from spilling over into Iran but also to pursue strategic objectives. Salami expressed the same position regarding Russia's military presence in Syria, stating that Moscow has long-term strategic goals in the eastern Mediterranean and that it is "not accurate" to say that Tehran forced Russia to directly enter the Syrian civil war. The Russian military began airstrikes in support of Bashar al-Assad's government in September 2015. Assad's army and its allies, from Hezbollah in Lebanon to groups sent from Iraq and Afghanistan, have made ground advances during this period. Some IRGC forces have also been killed during this time, which Iran claims are present in Syria as "advisors." According to the IRGC deputy commander, the recent success of operations in Shiite-populated towns around Aleppo is "very influential and decisive in regional equations." Previously, the Fars news agency, which is close to the IRGC, reported that advances around Aleppo send "more decisive messages" to Geneva. This refers to negotiations between representatives of the Syrian central government and Assad's opponents that were held in Geneva but have been suspended. Western officials say that the Geneva talks are the best and probably the only chance to end the Syrian war. Millions of displaced people, over 250,000 casualties, an unprecedented wave of refugees outside the country's borders, and increased crisis and tension among regional countries are among the consequences of the civil war in Syria, which has been ongoing for five years.