Abdul-Halim Khaddam, the former deputy to the Syrian president who defected, considered Syria today as a “puppet in the hands of Iran,” asserting that Israel wants to maintain the Syrian regime because it is weak. Meanwhile, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos made a short and notable visit to Damascus on Tuesday, where he met with his Syrian counterpart, Walid Muallem.
Khaddam stated in an interview with the Palestinian radio station “Voice of Peace,” broadcasting from occupied Jerusalem, that “the relationship between Syria and Iran is not strategic because strategic cooperation should be between two independent strategies, but there is no strategy for (Syrian President) Bashar al-Assad.”
He added that the Syrian president effectively serves Iranian interests in the region. Khaddam emphasized his support for friendly relations between neighboring countries but highlighted the difference between friendship and a situation where one country becomes a puppet in the hands of another.
Khaddam claimed that “Bashar al-Assad is the one who, in cooperation with Syrians who hated Hariri, killed (former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik) Hariri.” He stated that Hariri made an effort to improve his relationship with Assad, and he assisted in that effort. However, Assad’s hatred for him was so intense that the situation could not be changed, leading to the decision to assassinate Hariri.
Regarding the Hariri assassination, Khaddam said, “The regime alone could carry out an operation of this level of professionalism, involving a thousand kilograms of explosive material of type (C-4), executed by professionals.” He stressed that in Syria, only one person approves security operations, and he revealed all this to the UN-affiliated investigation committee.
Khaddam added that “Bashar (Assad) is afraid and anxious, putting pressure on his security apparatus to exert more pressure on the people and silence them.” He continued, “The system in Syria arms Hezbollah. Israeli occupation has ended, and the issue of Shebaa Farms remains, but Lebanon is a country everyone wants to strengthen its governance. Nevertheless, transferring weapons (to Lebanon) is a wrong step.”
Regarding corruption in Syria, Khaddam said, “Corruption is widespread in Syria, and those close to the regime plunder the resources of the state. The people, who live more than half of them below the poverty line, know who is to blame. There is nothing or no institution in the state that is not corrupt, and that is why there are no foreign investments in Syria.”
He added, “All energy facilities are owned by those close to Assad, and the people who know the situation cannot oppose. The system in Syria cannot be maintained; it is an aging system, and the mentality of this leadership is not logical. A radical change is necessary to remove power from the hands of one person.”
When asked if he fears assassination, Khaddam said, “I have been subjected to four assassination attempts, and in some of them, I was hit by several bullets, but I am still alive. Certainly, the Damascus regime will be responsible for any attempt because this regime relies on the culture of assassinations, and many have been assassinated during the years of the regime.” He warned that those who send out the perpetrators of the assassination attempts will pay the price.
Regarding the message he wishes to convey to Israel, Khaddam said, “Israel wants to keep the Assad regime because it is weak and weakens Syria. They (Israel) want Syria to be weak and backward. I say to the people in Israel: if you truly want peace, you must implement the United Nations resolutions regarding the Palestinian territories and the rest of the lands occupied in 1967.”
As for whether he sees himself as the future president of Syria, Khaddam stated, “I am happy to serve my country in any position.”
