In response to the proposal for a "coalition" against the United States by an advisor to Ayatollah Khamenei, a senior official in the Russian parliament deemed the creation of a new coalition unnecessary, while referencing the cooperation between Russia and Iran in Syria. On Wednesday, January 24, Yahya Rahim Safavi, the senior military advisor to Ali Khamenei, expressed concern over the U.S. presence in Syria and announced Iran's willingness to form a coalition against this country. According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), Safavi also mentioned Pakistan and Iraq as potential partners for this coalition idea. However, Leonid Slutsky, the head of the International Affairs Committee in the Russian Duma, did not find this proposal necessary. He noted that the Islamic Republic and Russia have already cooperated in Syria to combat terrorism, thus there is no need for a new coalition. Following the protests against Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria in 2011 and the subsequent civil war, Iran and then Russia supported the regime and backed Assad with all their might. The assistance from Tehran and Moscow to Damascus has been significant enough that many experts believe these two governments saved Assad from certain downfall, and without their help, he would have collapsed years ago. In recent months, Tehran, Moscow, and consequently Damascus have spoken of victories against "terrorists" and the liberation of the country. The Assad regime has always labeled its protesters as terrorists. On Wednesday, Yahya Rahim Safavi stated: "... a new issue is occurring, which is the formation of a 30,000-strong U.S. force west of the Euphrates River." He continued: "We must be able to move towards a coalition with Pakistan and Iraq against tensions and terrorism." However, this senior official in the Islamic Republic did not mention Russia. Yet, Leonid Slutsky responded to this proposal, stating that Russia must think about its own policies. He said: "We must work on our own program, which is not always aligned with Iran's program in every respect." This Duma official did not refer to the issue of the U.S. border guard, which has also caused concern for Khamenei's advisor. Previously, several regional countries, including Turkey, Russia, and Iran, have criticized this strategy and the formation of a border force.
Negative Reaction from Russian Duma Official to Khamenei's Advisor's Coalition Proposal
A senior Russian Duma official dismissed a proposal by Khamenei's military advisor for a coalition against the U.S. in Syria, citing existing cooperation between Russia and Iran. This reaction highlights the complexities of regional alliances and the differing priorities of Iran and Russia in the context of the Syrian conflict.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Yahya Rahim Safavi proposed forming a coalition against the U.S. presence in Syria, including potential partners like Pakistan and Iraq. Leonid Slutsky from the Russian Duma dismissed the need for such a coalition, citing existing cooperation between Russia and Iran.
- Safavi expressed concern over a new U.S. force in Syria.
- Slutsky emphasized Russia's independent policy approach, differing from Iran's.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran and Russia have been key allies of the Assad regime in Syria, providing military and political support since the Syrian civil war began in 2011.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
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