Posted on 08/21/2011 6:12:33 PM PDT by nuconvert
Iran has appointed a new ambassador to Syria to replace Ahmad Mousavi, who decided to quit his post amid growing popular protests against President Bashar Al Assad and his rule.
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Saturday named Mohammadreza Raouf Sheybani to replace Mr. Mousavi. Mr. Sheybani was the former deputy at the Foreign Ministry’s Islamic Republic Middle East department.
Mr. Moussavi was Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad’s vice president for legal affairs and a member of the Iranian parliament from the Arab-majority Ahwaz province.
The Kaleme opposition website last week reported that Mr. Mousavi was planning to leave Damascus, amid growing opposition protests against President Assad and his Baathist regime. Syrian authorities were very critical of the ambassador’s decision, Kaleme reported.
“Ahmad Mousavi has made excuses, such as raising the possibility that he may run in Iran's parliamentary election, to explain his sudden departure from Damascus,” the opposition website reported, adding that Mr. Mousavi’s departure was a sign the political situation in Syria was critical.
Keleme quoted an unnamed Syrian diplomat saying that Iranian embassy staff have vacated their homes in Damascus and sent their families back to Iran in fear of the regime’s imminent collapse.
Iran’s support for the crackdown on protesters in Syria has triggered anger against Iranians living in Syria, the diplomat said.
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain had already recalled their ambassadors from Syria. Iran had described popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt as part of an “Islamic awakening.” But when the protests began in Syria, Tehran described them as part of an American conspiracy.
"Keleme quoted an unnamed Syrian diplomat saying that Iranian embassy staff have vacated their homes in Damascus and sent their families back to Iran in fear of the regime’s imminent collapse."
pong
Thanks nuconvert.
According to some accounts, the IRGC is already there.
Hmm.
They already are. Do mean specifically planes or tanks?
Russia is still supporting Assad, so I’m sure that’s weighing on people
I have read about Iranian snipers in Syria. I am curious if planes and tanks are next.
Syria has a pretty good air force. I’m not sure what Iran could add to it. They could certainly send ground troops and assorted munitions
Yes, Syria does have a good air force, but the point of my questions comes to this: Just how far will Iran go to maintain this regime in Syria?
It’s important. They’ll send men and munitions
I suspected as much. In that case, the question is what would be the event that prompts Iran to “put boots on the ground?”
In addition to 20,000 mixed IRGC and Bassiji and “lebass shakhsi” (civilian) Iranian ruthless forces already in Syria doing most of the suppression and killing (lots of previous practice in Iran), (now in Syria as Russian surrogates!) Khamenei has just sent over $90 million cash and a line of credit of nearly $1 Billion with exhortations, as close to orders as he can get, to Bashir al-Assad to stand firm and increase attacks on the protesters.
Including advice to arm and clothe his supporters as civilians (as done in Iran, listing a string of such “civilians” being used in Iran as examples).
Clear to everyone is Khamenei’s increasing fear of his own position in Iran becoming shaky. AND as his own bolt-hole is in Russia, he has to obey Russian urgings or lose the very large mansion that awaits him in Russia, should he have to flee Iran.
He tested it out a couple of years or so ago when he actually sent his whole EXTENDED family (including his wife’s relatives and those by marriage) and special bodyguards (and some horses!) there.
It’s not clear that they all returned when the crisis he felt, to take these steps, abated.
In the meantime, Russia has also promised (selfishly) to start building the next of several more of the (total 16 if I remember correctly) nuclear plants that had previously been agreed between them.
If Syria falls, Israel may decide opportunely to attack Iran as Hezbollah, HAMAS and Palestinian surrogates may also come under pressure. Or an attack through Gaza from Egypt may leave no other option and Iran would be an enabler which has to be removed.
Israel has already set up weaponry and refuelling bases on the Caspian Sea, creating tension of those countries and Iran.
And, almost unbelievably, though old news, Sausi Arabia has not only allowed an Israeli base/airfield to be built in the North West next to a Saudi airport. And as much overlfight permission as the Israelis need to successfully attack Iran.
Obama has thrown the Saudi King under the bus, choosing to support Iran against Saudi interests, so Israel is a temporary but essential ally Saudis need badly to “kill” Iran nuclear capability and restore a balance in the Arab world.
Specially as Moslem Brotherhood activity against the Saudi monarchy is gaining strength inside Saudi Arabia and Obama’s dream of becoming the leader of a global Islamic Caliphate he is setting in motion in North Africa - after things calm down - and he has had a stint as the Secretary General of the United Nations. (No! I am not kidding nor hallucinating). That appears to be his narcissistic view of his near term future.
Depending on what happens near term in the USA and definitely after November 2012 he might find himself in a prison cell for a very extended time, with his family moving to Kenya to avoid all the negative local publicity.
The last paragraph may be extrapolation from what should happen if someone finds the guts to connect the dots and implement the law and Constitution. So here, I may be kidding.
However, his potential felonies seem to be floating to the top like dead fish.
http://noiri.blogspot.com/2011/08/obamas-criminal-activity-floating-up.html
As the Chinese say, we are living in “interesting times” by which they mean in “very dangerous” times. I hope we are not already “past the point of rescue”! Feels that way sometimes as we analyze events.
“All that it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” - Edmund Burke
cheers,
Iranian ruthless forces already in Syria doing most of the suppression and killing (lots of previous practice in Iran)
One of the best things Saudi Arabia could do to undermine the Iran regime would be to push down the price of oil. Kamenei has a very expensive 10,000 member personal guard force he has to pay. I think I read that the 500 members of the elite guard each get their own house.
Previously Iran was importing Palestians and others to do their dirty work, not trusting their own military to be ruthless enough. Same with Gaddafi importing Africans.
Thanks for the ping!
Desperate leaders do desperate things... this could become much worse.
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