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Source: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/middleeast/la-fg-syria-iran-20121229,0,7524005.story
Iran May Be Reconsidering Position on Syria
(Los Angeles Times) Ramin Mostaghim and Alexandra Sandels - As rebel forces advance and longtime allies in Moscow distance themselves, Syria's most faithful friend is recalculating as well: Iranian officials and analysts say the Islamic Republic has launched a vigorous internal debate about how firmly it will continue to support Syrian President Bashar Assad. "The debate behind the curtains among experts and officials regarding the Syrian crisis is very hot," said an Iranian journalist with close ties to the office of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "Staunch support for Bashar Assad's regime is costing the Islamic Republic of Iran a lot." Shiite Muslim Iran faces increasing isolation if Assad is overthrown by predominantly Sunni Muslim rebels supported by Iran's regional rivals in the Persian Gulf. In the Iranian media, censors had permitted no criticism or negative stories about Assad until about two months ago. Pro-government and opposition papers have both started running articles that forecast the end of Assad's rule.