Here to Stay: Iranian Involvement in Syria, 2011-2021

תקציר

Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, and driven by the ideology of exporting the revolution, Iran has bolstered its efforts to expand its regional influence. The events of the last decade, marked by the Arab Spring, the undermining of traditional state frameworks, and the ongoing weakening of the pan-Arab system, gave Iran a unique opportunity to achieve this objective, including the attempt to consolidate territory under its control from Iran to the Mediterranean coast. Focusing on Iran’s tightening grip on Syria, this article contends that in spite of Tehran’s extensive investments thus far, it has not managed to build a strategic military front there. At the civilian level, however, it has scored some success by embedding itself more deeply in Syria’s state mechanisms in a way that will be hard to reverse at any time soon. Israel must therefore reconsider its policy on this issue, and work toward supplementing an offensive military approach with long term political moves.<br><br>