After reports that Syria was distancing itself from Iran, Bashar al-Assad is once again bonding with Islamic Republic leaders, which likely means more bad news for Israel. Israel has launched many defensive strikes inside Syria against Iran-backed forces and Iran’s main proxy, Hizballah. Of concern now is also the fact that Russia controls Syria’s airspace; Israel and Russia have been cooperating to control Iran’s presence there. But ever since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, tensions have been building between Israel and Russia over Israel’s support for Ukraine.
“Syria’s Assad meets top Iranian leaders in surprise Tehran visit,” by Maziar Motamedi, Al Jazeera, May 8, 2022:
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has held meetings with Iran’s supreme leader and the country’s president during a surprise visit to Tehran, a key military backer of the Syrian regime.
Assad met with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi after making an unannounced visit to the Iranian capital on Sunday morning and then left for Damascus the same day, according to Nournews, an outlet affiliated with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).
The supreme leader’s website confirmed the meeting. Its readout of the rare sit-down quoted Khamenei as telling Assad that his “victory in an international war” has increased the credibility of Syria, and that Iran wishes to boost bilateral ties….
Khamenei also took aim at countries in the region which have normalised ties with Israel or hold high-level meetings with its officials, saying this is while their own people are chanting anti-Zionist slogans on Quds Day….
