Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with Russian President Vladimir Putin today. Putin delivered a gift to Khamenei as the leaders discussed recent events in ISIS-occupied Syria.
The civil war in Syria has drawn attention from leaders across the globe. Russia and Iran support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Western nations, like Turkey and the Gulf Arab states, wish for Assad to be replaced.
"The Americans have a long-term plot and are trying to dominate Syria and then the whole region.... This is a threat to all countries, especially Russia and Iran....The United States is now trying to achieve its failed military objectives in Syria by political means," stated Khamenei, according to Reuters.
Iran and Russia are Syrian allies, and wish to limit U.S. involvement within the turbulent nation as much as possible. Khamenei believes U.S. involvement in Syria would "disadvantage all countries, especially Iran and Russia."
"This threat should be neutralized wisely and with closer interaction.... Syria's president was elected by people of various political, religious and ethnic views in a general election. The U.S. cannot ignore Syrians' vote and choice," continued Khamenei, according to Yahoo News.
Author L. Todd Wood believes that Russia and Iran will never allow Western nations to dethrone Assad.
"Syria is a long-term Soviet and Russian ally. Mr. Assad's father and the Soviets were pals. Russia has a critical naval base at Tartus, their toehold in the Mediterranean. Russia now has an air base near Latakia, Syria, and has staked its military honor on defending the Assad regime. Russian troops are validating new Russian hardware and tactics against the Syrian rebels and ISIS. What is really going on is a new hegemon is now dominating the Middle East — the new axis of Iran and Russia," wrote Todd in the Washington Times.
