The Syrian Civil War and Iran: Policies, Perils, and Prospects//Seminar

Maysam Behravesh, PhD Candidate in Political Science, Lund University

Iran has been an influential player in Syria ever since the outbreak of popular protests against the Assad government in March 2011, and particularly so following their radicalization into a full-blown security crisis. In an explicit demonstration of a post-Islamist foreign policy conduct, it has made tremendous efforts, ranging from diplomatic and financial to logistical and military, to sustain the Ba’athist regime in power and prevent the loss of its sole state ally in the region. Seeking to shed light on the changing nature of the Syrian crisis, this presentation sets out to investigate the evolution of Iranian strategy towards the Arab Spring-induced revolt and offer a contextualized analysis of its geopolitical perils and problems for Tehran. It also explores the most viable scenarios the conflict may witness in the future, concluding that unless Iran undertakes a proactive function in resolving the crisis – by facilitating Assad’s departure - it will have little share, if any, in the unfolding redistribution of power in the Middle East.