Ibrahim Raisi's Visit to Damascus: The Goal is to Expand Relations with Syria and Hezbollah

Ibrahim Raisi, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, arrived in Damascus on Wednesday to consult with his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad. In an interview with the news network "Al-Mayadeen", he mentioned that the purpose of this trip is to strengthen and expand relations with Syria and other regional allies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Previously, Yoav Galant, the Israeli Defense Minister, stated on April 20 that the Islamic Republic "provides $700 million annually to the terrorist group Hezbollah in Lebanon and also supplies it with strategic weapons such as guided munitions." He added that in Syria, the Islamic Republic also gives hundreds of millions of dollars annually to Assad's government and its supported militias. Raisi's trip is the first visit by a senior official of the Islamic Republic to Syria in the past 12 years since the onset of the civil war in that Arab country. Iranian media have reported that discussions between Ibrahim Raisi and Bashar al-Assad are aimed at strengthening the political and economic relations between the two countries. The bloody suppression of opponents by the Syrian government in 2011, which led to the civil war in the country, posed a significant challenge to Assad's regime. After that, economic and military support from Iran and Russia helped maintain Bashar al-Assad in power. Assad's opponents have also accused Hezbollah of assisting in the survival of his regime by sending armed units. Currently, Assad's government controls most of Syria. Raisi's visit to Syria comes at a time when some regional countries that previously supported the opponents of the Syrian government are politically shifting to restore their relations with Bashar al-Assad. Arab countries in the region, which had isolated Bashar al-Assad's government in protest against the bloody suppression of opponents in Syria, are now seeking solutions to end the 12-year civil war in the country. Saudi Arabia, which is considered a pioneer of this policy change, aims to reduce tensions in the region while also seeking to restore relations with Iran and reintegrate Syria into its group of Arab allies. Hussein Akbari, the Iranian ambassador to Syria, had previously described Ibrahim Raisi's visit to Damascus as "very significant" in light of regional developments. According to reports from Iranian domestic media, several cabinet members, including the ministers of oil, defense, foreign affairs, and communications, are accompanying Ibrahim Raisi on this trip. Reuters, citing Syrian state media, reported that several agreements will be signed between the two sides during Ibrahim Raisi's two-day visit to Damascus. Tehran has successfully signed several substantial commercial contracts with Damascus in various fields such as communications and mining. Renewed attacks on the Islamic Republic's proxy militias in Syria have been attributed to Israel. Meetings of Arab foreign ministers with the Syrian foreign minister have taken place after years of isolation for this country. Bashar al-Assad competes with the Islamic Republic in Syria. McCarthy in the Israeli parliament stated that the Islamic Republic is a factor of violence and instability in the region. A meeting of Arab ministers regarding the normalization of relations with Syria was held. A senior U.S. State Department official's visit to the Middle East was aimed at examining economic and security cooperation. A visit by an Islamic Republic president to Syria after 12 years; Raisi goes to Damascus.