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Source: http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/06/01/iran-wants-to-stay-in-syria-forever/
Iran Wants to Stay in Syria Forever
(Foreign Policy) Borzou Daragahi - There have been more than 2,000 Iranian military deaths in Syria since Tehran began pouring troops and tremendous amounts of resources into the country to defend the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Israel is pressing Russia to get Iran to leave Syria, threatening more strikes on Iranian positions near its border at the Golan Heights or anywhere inside the country should it remain. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listed Iran's withdrawal from Syria as one of 12 preconditions for removing sanctions. But Iranian officials and other experts say the country has invested too much blood and treasure - upwards of $30 billion to date - to fold to international demands. Iran's involvement in Syria goes beyond a conventional military presence. The Iran-backed Jihad al-Binaa, the Islamic charitable foundation that financed and organized the reconstruction of southern Beirut after the 2006 war, is already working on large projects to rebuild schools, roads, and other infrastructure. In recent months, Iranian companies won Syria deals that include providing tractors, mining phosphate, repairing electricity networks, and refining sugar. Tehran has also loaned at least $4.5 billion to the Damascus regime since 2013.