Velayati: Iran Will Not Compromise with the U.S. Over Syria

Ali Akbar Velayati, the advisor to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic on international affairs, referred to Bashar al-Assad as Iran's 'red line' and announced that the Islamic Republic will not 'compromise with the U.S. over Syria' and does not intend to 'abandon Bashar al-Assad in the battlefield of war and politics.' According to Mehr News Agency, on Saturday, December 5, he stated that Iran participated in the Vienna conference 'at Russia's request' to ensure that this country is 'not left alone in defending Syria.' Velayati noted that 'at Iran's request,' Iraq, Lebanon, and Oman also participated in this conference, which strengthened 'resistance diplomacy.' He called Iran the 'most powerful' country present in the developments in Syria and stated that a 'small international war' is taking place in Syria, where all the world's powers are involved. Iran refers to groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as other Palestinian groups opposed to Middle East peace, and the Syrian government as the 'resistance front' against Israel. Velayati had previously described reports of Iranian cooperation with the U.S. in Syria as 'rumors' and stated that 'Iran has no cooperation with the U.S. either politically or militarily, and it will not have.' Unlike previous years, Iran was invited to the Vienna meetings regarding the Syrian crisis. Participants in the Vienna meeting have called for a nationwide ceasefire in Syria, but their disagreements, especially over the fate of Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria, remain unresolved in the country's future political transition. In another part of his speech, the advisor to the Supreme Leader stated that Russia's actions in Syria are 'coordinated' with Iran. He emphasized: 'If General Soleimani travels to Russia and exchanges views with officials of that country, it is to be expected. The dimensions of the issue are broader than this, and we do not anticipate that the Syrian crisis will be resolved in the short or medium term.' Velayati predicted that 'in the not-so-distant future,' some other countries like China would join the 'resistance axis.' He added: 'For example, in a large province in eastern China, there are also Muslims living, and there is a risk of their joining ISIS, and perhaps after Syria, countries like China may also join the resistance axis.' Velayati had previously stated on August 16 that after the Vienna nuclear agreement, Iran would have 'greater capacity' to support 'its friends in the region' and that the 'resistance axis' in the region would be strengthened. However, according to Alireza Zakani, head of the JCPOA Commission, General Vahidi, representing the General Staff of the Armed Forces, presented an 'important confidential file' in the JCPOA Commission and called the claims of government officials regarding the strengthening of 'Islamic awakening' after the Vienna nuclear agreement 'baseless.' The head of the Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Discernment Council also stated that it is 'in the interest' of the region, Russia, and Turkey that tensions between them 'do not increase and are reduced.' In response to the Turkish president's remarks, Velayati stated that 'everyone should speak according to their measure.' Regarding Mohsen Rezaei's statements, he said that in the photos published by Russian officials, 'it is completely clear that a long line of tankers and oil tankers is moving from northern Iraq and Syria towards Turkey.' Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran, stated on Friday, December 4, that the Islamic Republic has 'information' and 'videos' of the oil sales of this group 'in Turkey.' Previously, Russian officials had accused Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, and his family of being involved in oil smuggling with the Islamic State (ISIS). Meanwhile, Erdogan warned Hassan Rouhani, the president of Iran, about the Iranian media's accusations against his family regarding oil smuggling with ISIS. However, Hossein Jaberi Ansari, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, invited Erdogan to 'observe decorum.'