Iran

Turkey Says Told Russia, Iran not to Intervene Militarily in Syria Rebel Push

Turkey said Friday it had urged Russia and Iran not to intervene militarily to support Bashar al-Assad's forces as Islamist-led rebels mounted their lightning advance on Damascus that ended with the Syrian strongman's ouster. "The most important thing was to talk to the Russians and Iranians to ensure that they didn't enter the equation ...

Israel Says Blows Against Iran and its Allies Triggered Regional 'Chain Reaction'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that a series of blows by Israel against arch-foe Iran and its allies had triggered a "chain reaction" poised to transform the entire Middle East. "The historic events that we witness today are a chain reaction," Netanyahu declared in a video address directed at the Iranian people. He ...

Tehran : 4,000 Iranians Returned From Syria Since Assad's Fall

Tehran said Tuesday it had brought home 4,000 Iranian citizens from Syria following the ouster of its ally Bashar al-Assad as rebels took over Damascus. "Over the past three days, 4,000 Iranian citizens were returned to Iran," Fatemeh Mohajerani, the spokeswoman for Iran's government, said at a press conference in the capital. She added that ...

War in Syria: 13 Years of Conflict

2011: The winds of the Arab Spring reach Syria. Peaceful protests erupt in Deraa, as the people call for reforms and justice. Bashar al-Assad's regime responds swiftly and brutally. The crackdown is bloody, and anger becomes the driving force of the protesters. The demonstrations spread across the country like wildfire. This marks the beginning of ...

What Political Governance for Post-Assad Syria? (2/2)

Now that Bashar al-Assad's dictatorial regime has been overthrown, imagining what the “day after” might look like remains a challenge. Even more uncertain is the model of governance that could take shape in a post-Assad Syria. The rebel factions, collectively referred to as the “opposition forces,” form a disparate, profoundly ...

Israel Helped to Topple Assad, But It Wasn't Planned, Analysts Say

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday claimed the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria as a direct outcome of Israel's actions in the region, something analysts in Israel said was only partially true. Speaking while under growing domestic pressure over the fate of Israeli hostages in Gaza and a corruption trial, Netanyahu said Assad's ...

Syria: The Middle East’s Berlin Wall Has Fallen

It only took a few days for the "rebels" to overthrow one of the world's most tyrannical regimes—almost without a fight. At this point, it’s still difficult to understand how such a heterogeneous group, mostly armed with light weapons—at least according to the images we've seen—managed to bring down the Assad regime, which has been in ...

Syria's Bashar al-Assad's Quarter Century in Power

AFP looks back at almost a quarter-century of rule by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since he was propelled to power following the death of his father Hafez in 2000. 2000: takes over from father On July 17, 2000, Assad becomes Syria's new head of state, after the death of his father, aged 69, who ruled Syria with an iron grip for 30 years. He ...

Bashar al-Assad: From Tyranny to Collapse

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad oversaw a merciless crackdown on a pro-democracy revolt that morphed into one of the bloodiest wars of the century. On Sunday, as rebels entered the capital, a Syrian war monitor said he had left the country, in what could spell the end not just of his 24-year rule but the downfall of his clan's five-decade ...

Turkey, Russia and Iran Meet in Doha Seeking Exit From Syria Chaos

The top diplomats from Iran, Turkey and Russia met in Qatar on Saturday for talks on Syria, where rebel forces have taken parts of the country in a lightning offensive. After the discussions in Doha with his Russian and Turkish counterparts, Sergei Lavrov and Hakan Fidan, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the parties agreed on the ...

Iran, Iraq Join Syria in Warning Rebel Advance Threatens Whole Region

Iran and Iraq issued a joint statement with Syria on Friday warning that sweeping rebel gains at the expense of President Bashar al-Assad's forces posed a danger to the whole region. "Threats against Syria's security constitute a danger for the stability of the region," said the statement issued after a meeting of the three countries' foreign ...