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Damascus and Moscow Intensify Efforts to Avoid Conflict with Israel in Syria

A street in Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria that is controlled by Iranian-backed militias. (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)
A street in Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria that is controlled by Iranian-backed militias. (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)
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Damascus and Moscow Intensify Efforts to Avoid Conflict with Israel in Syria

A street in Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria that is controlled by Iranian-backed militias. (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)
A street in Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria that is controlled by Iranian-backed militias. (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)

The Syrian Army and Russian forces are stepping up efforts to restrict the activities of Hezbollah and Iranian militias in Syria. This move aims to prevent Israel from using the situation as a reason to expand its conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon to Syria.

Local sources in the southern Daraa province told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Syrian Army and Russian forces have banned the presence of any Lebanese refugees or vehicles with Lebanese license plates in the Yarmouk Basin area.

This region is in western Daraa and borders the ceasefire line between Syria and Israel.

The directive affects all villages in the Yarmouk Basin.

Sources stated that the Syrian government's strict measures in Daraa are not just limited to villages near the ceasefire line; they apply across the entire governorate.

Military and security forces are conducting detailed inspections of Lebanese vehicles entering areas far from the ceasefire line.

The new directive comes amid increasing concerns that Israel’s war against Hezbollah in Lebanon may spread to Syria, prompting Damascus to take precautions.

This follows a recent Israeli incursion into agricultural land within the Syrian buffer zone, where they cleared land to build a security fence.

The goal is to prevent Hezbollah and Iranian militias from entering the occupied Golan Heights, as seen in recent incidents in villages in the Quneitra governorate.

Local sources said Russian forces recently conducted thorough inspections of the hills in the Yarmouk Basin to ensure no Hezbollah or Iranian militias were present.

It is believed that they may have notified Israel about the situation. Additionally, Russian and Syrian army units have stepped up their joint patrols in most areas of Daraa, particularly in the west.

Local residents expressed relief after the new directive was issued, with one stating, “No one in the area wants the future to look like what is happening in Lebanon.”

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian and Russian forces are holding joint military exercises along the ceasefire line at the border with the Golan Heights.

These drills are intended to strengthen their presence in the region and deter any incursions by Israeli forces or Iranian militias, including Hezbollah.

Russian forces are positioned at 17 sites near the occupied Golan Heights across the governorates of Quneitra, Daraa, and rural Damascus.

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Arab World

Zarif Warns of All-Out Civil War in Syria, Proposes Initiative for Regional Dialogue

Iran's Vice President for Strategic Affairs and former Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif (Iranian Presidency)
Iran's Vice President for Strategic Affairs and former Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif (Iranian Presidency)
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Zarif Warns of All-Out Civil War in Syria, Proposes Initiative for Regional Dialogue

Iran's Vice President for Strategic Affairs and former Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif (Iranian Presidency)
Iran's Vice President for Strategic Affairs and former Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif (Iranian Presidency)

Iran's Vice President for Strategic Affairs and former Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, warned on Tuesday of an all-out civil war in Syria.
His comments came in an initiative calling for dialogue between countries in the region, including the new government in Syria.
In an op-ed in The Economist on Monday, republished by the Iranian IRNA news agency, the Vice President outlined an approach to regional security and economic development through the creation of the Muslim West Asian Dialogue Association (MWADA), meaning “amity” in Arabic, with the aim to foster peaceful coexistence and equitable partnerships.
He said the initiative’s key priority is the establishment of immediate sustainable, permanent ceasefires in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.
Iran's influence in the Middle East has suffered setbacks following Israeli attacks on its Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah allies, and the subsequent fall of President Bashar Assad's regime in Syria.
Zarif’s initiative comes amid heightened expectations in Tehran over US President-elect Donald Trump's policy towards Iran as he prepares to take office in the White House.
Syria’s Challenge
Zarif said MWADA invites all core Muslim countries in West Asia, including the future government of Syria to engage in comprehensive negotiations.
This initiative should be grounded in the sublime values of our common religion, Islam, and on the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-intervention and collective security,” he wrote.
Iran has spent billions of dollars supporting Bashar Assad during the war in Syria, and has deployed Revolutionary Guard troops in the country to keep its ally in power since the civil war erupted in 2011.
Lately, Ahmad al-Sharaa, head of the new Syrian government, made statements criticizing the role Iran has played in Syria over the past years.
In his op-ed, Zarif said, “post-Assad Syria presents a major challenge to us all.”
He said that unbridled Israeli aggression disregarding Syrian sovereignty, foreign interference undermining Syrian territorial integrity, horrifying scenes of violence and brutality reminiscent of ISIS savagery, and ethnic and sectarian violence—which may lead to an all-out civil war—require the immediate attention of the proposed MWADA.
The Iranian official added that a proposed MWADA Development Fund can finance critical infrastructure projects, particularly in devastated post-conflict areas.
Additionally, he said, governance reforms in Syria—as a basis for economic assistance—will promote accountability and lay the groundwork for a safe and stable country where women and minorities can thrive.
Concerning Palestine, Zarif said the humanitarian disaster also remains critical for regional stability.
“MWADA must prioritize Palestinian self-determination and support just solutions while fully respecting the aspirations of the people. This involves not just political solutions but also economic opportunities and the recognition of Palestinian rights,” he wrote.
Security of Navigation
Concerning relations with Saudi Arabia, Zarif said partnership between Tehran and Riyadh, two of the region’s most influential powers—will play a crucial role.
“By fostering unity and brotherhood among Shiite and Sunni Muslims, we can counter the extremism and sectarian strife that have historically destabilized the region,” he said.
Zarif also suggested a new regional cooperation on freedom of navigation, including joint maritime-security patrols.
He said the region is home to strategic chokepoints including the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
“Iran, given its location and security expertise, is uniquely positioned to contribute to the security of waterways like the Strait of Hormuz,” he wrote, adding that others can play a leading role in securing Suez and Bab al-Mandab.
He then recalled the Hormuz Peace Endeavor or HOPE, which he suggested in 2019. The initiative came amid escalation of tensions in regional waters, after Iran responded to US sanctions by seizing foreign oil tankers.
Zarif’s initiative also called on working towards a region free from nuclear weapons and reviving the Iran nuclear deal (the JCPOA).
Iran’s Role
Speaking about Iran’s role, Zarif said like other participants, Tehran would play an indispensable role.
“Over the past 45 years, my country has demonstrated remarkable resilience and self-sufficiency in security and defense, managing to survive and even thrive; not just without foreign assistance, but in spite of pressure from extra-regional powers,” he wrote.
The widely believed perception of Iran losing its arms in the region stems from a wrong assumption that Iran has had proxy-patron relationships with resistance forces, he added.
Zarif said that trying to attribute it to Iran may serve a public relations campaign but will obstruct any resolution.
MWADA challenges us to re-imagine the region not as a battleground but as a hub of MWADA, amity and empathy, characterized by the pursuit of shared opportunities and collective prosperity, he noted.
“Transforming West Asia into a beacon of peace and collaboration is not just an idealistic aspiration; it is both a strategic imperative and an achievable goal that requires only commitment, dialogue and a shared vision,” the Iranian official said.
In a video message delivered in English on the occasion of Christmas, the Iranian Vice President for Strategic Affairs warned that the escalating tensions in the Middle East could lead to an uncontrollable global crisis.