The alliance between Iran and Syria is one of the basic geopolitical realities of the Middle East. It is a certain reality in a region characterized by the changing realities. This alliance became a historical stable regional reality, as it proved over time that is an enduring and durable alliance. It definitely has a strategic nature rather than to be an alliance of convenience, as many western powers hope or think.

This alliance had been initiated by the Baath regime in Syria and the theocratic regime of Iran following the Islamic revolution there. For the Syrian side, this alliance has geopolitical and geo-strategic bases, besides it also rests on a key religious, or sectarian, dimension connected with the nature of the non-Sunni Baath regime in Syria. This is a key fact of the alliance between the two regimes, which has been always ignored by the western powers while approaching this question. Actually, this is a key fact should be clearly considered when approaching this question and by the related international policies, the matter that is apparently not the case at present.

In addition, for the Syrian side, this alliance is a strategic choice in the regional geopolitics, and represents strategic decision at the international level in terms of Syria’s international view and strategy. Then, it is an essential part of Syria’s foreign policy and Syria’s international relations and strategy, under Baath control of course. This Syrian approach actually rests on the Baath regime’s own interests and directions in addition to its basic needs to be somehow protected and sponsored by a regional or international power, as a non-democratic regime that has no electoral or representative base.

This fact is also connected with the type and nature of the Syrian Baath regime, as a totalitarian anti-democratic regime. This basic reality of this regime, or any other similar regime, defines the basic policies and relations of this regime by nature, as there should be a resemblance or convergence between the means, ways, conditions and objectives of the various sides in alliance or association.

The close and strong alliance with Iran is the only sound and productive choice for the Baath regime in Syria, as Iran is the main source of support, assistance, sponsorship and even protection given the type, nature and policies of this regime. Then, this alliance is like an existential indispensable decision for the Baath regime.

Hence, the various persistent international policies, efforts and missions intending to split Syria from Iran, mainly by the Europeans and some U.S. parties, over the latest years, are just an indication of ignorance of the nature and bases of this alliance and the allying regimes besides many facts and realities of this region. The persistent failure of those policies and efforts so far would persist in the future, in my opinion.

The Syrian-Iranian alliance is an indispensable umbrella for the Syrian Baath regime. Then, this enduring alliance between the Baath regime and the Iranian regime will persist unless one of these regimes goes or changes, or most likely, is changed.