Khaled al-Mahamid to Asharq Al-Awsat: Iran’s Role Is Obvious In Daraa’s Escalation

A member of the Free Syrian Army gestures as he stands on a tank after they captured the military Brigade 52 base in Daraa, Syria June 9, 2015. REUTERS/Alaa Al-Faqir

Syrian opposition figure Dr. Khaled al-Mahamid said that the Iranian role has been “obvious for years” in southern Syria, pointing out that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) were the first to reject the Daraa agreement, which stipulated their exit from the governorate, in reference to the South Agreement in mid-2018.

Asked about the situation in Daraa al-Balad, he said: “Until the recent mock elections, the authorities’ security approach was to deal with the protests with arrests and assassinations, but the people of Daraa governorate refused any elections before forming a transitional governing body, establishing a new constitution, and ensuring free and fair elections. The security services lost their senses, so they took revenge on the citizens.”

On the role of Russia, the Syrian opposition figure stressed that Moscow had a dual approach.

“Unfortunately, Russia has a double rhetoric. It has been silent about the regime’s breach of an agreement in which it was a guarantor, but argues that it has tried but did not succeed…,” he said.

He continued: “The Russians will pay a heavy price if the Fourth Division storms Daraa al-Balad. They must realize the dangers of their silence on the crimes of the regime.”

Asked by Asharq Al-Awsat on whether Iran had any role in Daraa, Mahamid replied: “The Iranian role has been obvious for years. The IRGC and its militias have penetrated the military establishment and the militias, and they were the first to reject the Daraa Agreement, which stipulated their withdrawal from the Daraa governorate.”

He added: “Since the Fourth Division is at the top of the military pyramid, they push the army toward criminal behaviors against Syrian society. This is an issue that goes beyond the Daraa governorate, and extends to the fields.”

As for the solution to the escalation, Mahamid said he believed that the army should return to its barracks, remove the Iranian militias from the governorate, and lift the siege.

“The Central Committee is able to establish calm and hand over anyone wanted to justice. The people of Daraa have the right to devote themselves to rebuilding and creating job opportunities on their own, as the authority has abandoned this task since 2018,” he remarked.