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Iran's Strategy for Control of Syria
(Jerusalem Post) Jonathan Spyer - While Israeli officials have claimed a degree of success in Israel's efforts to contain and roll back Iran's entrenchment in Syria, Iran's influence and strength in Syria continues to deepen and expand. Iran's efforts include the arming and sponsoring of paramilitary formations on Syria soil. Iran has invested heavily in the creation of Basij-style paramilitary structures under its control within the Syrian security forces - such as the National Defense Forces. Evidence is now also emerging that conventional military units of the Syrian Arab Army are also identified closely with the Iranian interest. All the evidence points to a deep, long-term Iranian strategic plan to dominate Syria in the period ahead. The intention is to achieve a level of penetration and influence that will make their ambitions invulnerable both to superior Israeli air power and intelligence, and to the opposing project for domination of Syria by Russia. The writer is director of the Middle East Center for Reporting and Analysis.