The late former Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam revealed in his memoirs the details of President Bashar al-Assad's visit
To Iran in March 2003, just before the US invasion of Iraq
“Asharq Al-Awsat” newspaper published the first part of the late Syrian politician’s memoirs, the first part of which dealt with the visit to Tehran, and Khaddam, who accompanied Bashar al-Assad at the time, wrote that the latter, during his meeting with former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, said that “Syria” is the country that stands the most. With the Iraqi regime, but Iraqi coordination with Syria is the least.”
Al-Assad added, according to Khaddam: “It is a strange regime that lives in another world... The relationship is weak due to the lack of trust between our two regimes.”
Al-Assad touched on “the necessity of expanding the relationship with the Iraqi opposition and creating other elements for coordination,” and “the most important point is the Kurds’ thinking about creating a homeland for themselves,” according to Khaddam’s memoirs.
In this context, Al-Assad said, referring to the discussion of the issue with former Turkish President Abdullah Gul, and that the main axis of cooperation between Syria and Turkey at that time was the issue of the Kurdish state.
The Syrian regime held discussions with its Iraqi counterpart and talked about the Iraqi opposition, but the response was that the Iraqis were not afraid of anyone, according to what al-Assad said in Khaddam’s memoirs.
Khaddam also mentioned that Al-Assad made a proposal during the visit, to give the Iraqi opposition fake promises in the American style, after Khatami described them as not to the liking of anyone.
In his response to Khatami’s question, “Are you confident in the possibility of the army taking action inside?” If the United States wins quickly, it will be difficult.” Al-Assad considered that “the solution is in resistance, and in the event of war, it must be prepared before it occurs.”
The late Abdul Halim Khaddam also pointed out that his country and Iran “opposed the American invasion of Iraq for fear of the conflict spreading within the borders of the two countries.”
On March 20, 2003, the United States of America, and a number of coalition countries behind it, launched the war against Iraq, and on May 9 of the same year, the capital, Baghdad, and most of Iraqi territory fell into the hands of the coalition forces.
The war was launched under several pretexts, including the failure of the Iraqi government at the time to implement United Nations resolutions related to allowing international inspectors to search for weapons, and Iraq’s possession of weapons of mass destruction, in addition to other arguments.
The attacking countries also relied on the support of a section of the Shiites in the south (later they had military factions supported by Iran and controlled the fate of the country), and the Kurds in the north, to overthrow the regime of former President Saddam Hussein.
On January 5 of last year, the Iraqi parliament voted to end the foreign military presence in the country, which was rejected by Washington.
However, the United States withdrew from several military bases and handed them over to the Iraqi army