Iran's policy towards Syria after the Arab Spring

As two countries located in the Middle East with an ancient and old rooted history, both Iran and Syria are attached by an old and strategic relationship with each other. Specifically, Syria, after it survived from the occupation of France and gained its independence in 1946, Iran immediately recognized Syria as a sovereign state and opened its consulate in Damascus. This move is considered that it was the beginning of political and diplomatic relations between the two countries. From another perspective, when we look at the history of the relations between Iran and Syria, undoubtedly, from every aspect of these relations has been influenced by many regional and international factors and conditions. For this reason, we can observe that the Islamic Revolution that took place in Iran in 1979 has changed deeply the relations between the two countries, and a strategic alliance and cooperation between the two countries is considered that it has begun at that time which so far continues. This is a clear indication of how regional changes have made these two countries closer to each other and their politics and behavior towards each other, especially when the national interests and national security of Iran and Syria are at risk. For example, the eight-year Iraq-Iran war of 1980 – 1988. Although the threats and concerns faced by both countries were huge and immense, this brought the two countries even much closer leading and paving the way to the creation of a resistance force against the opposition of Tehran and Damascus in the region such as the United States and Israel. Another important aspect to mention in this review of Iran's policy towards Syria is the "Arab Spring", which in its first-place began in North Africa and Middle Eastern countries. Syria, as on of the strategic Arabic countries, was not out of the regional changes and faced mass demonstrations and protests soon after the start of the Arabic Spring. However, the events and political changes of the Arab Spring were far from the expectation of the Syrians, particularly the deadly civil war which made Syria the field of confrontations of the regional and global powers to Decisive their political and economic disputes. Among the actors which involved in the war, was Iran. Iran played the most important role directly and indirectly through the Shia militias there in such a way that it ultimately changed the results of the long – years conflicts in favour of Bashar Assad's Regime. On the other hand, Iran tried, through the interference in Syria's affaires, to secure its hegemony and political interests in the region which eventually deepened the disputes and conflicts of the region.