Former Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam has stated that the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has managed to consolidate power by provoking sectarian strife, which has caused sectarian officers to support it. In an interview with Sky News Arabia, he further added, “However, the cohesion of this regime will not last. It began to disintegrate with the defection of many national officers in the army. The Syrian people have made a firm decision to overthrow it.”
Khaddam explained that only Iran and Russia want to maintain the regime. He pointed out that Tehran seeks to protect its strategic interests in controlling the region, while Russia aspires to return to the region in a stronger way.
He also discussed the role of the opposition in supporting the “Syrian revolution.” He stated, “We must distinguish between revolution and opposition. The revolution is carried out by the Syrian people on the ground through their struggle for justice, equality, and for a free and democratic state. The opposition was weak before the revolution, and after the revolution, the size of the opposition expanded, but it lacked unity of purpose. Some seek power only, and some seek to overthrow the regime for the sake of freedom.”
