My dear compatriots,
The Iranian activities have expanded in the Arab and Islamic worlds, with a particular focus on Syria due to its geographical and political significance. Bashar al-Assad and his regime have been used, along with sectarian and ethnic tensions among minorities, leading to a precarious situation in Syria that threatens its unity and the future of its people.
Over the past four and a half years, hundreds of thousands of martyrs have fallen, millions of citizens have been displaced from their homes, and hundreds of thousands have been wounded or imprisoned. Iran has actively participated with Bashar al-Assad in crimes of killing, destruction, and genocide, providing him with fighters, weapons, and financial support, effectively making him an employee of the Iranian leadership.
Iran’s ambitions, since the success of the Iranian Revolution, include establishing a major state that serves as a reference in the region, dominating the area stretching from the Mediterranean to Afghanistan. I heard this formula directly from President Ali Hashemi Rafsanjani during his visit to Syria in June 1985. In a meeting with Hafez al-Assad, Rafsanjani requested long-range missiles, but Hafez al-Assad did not respond immediately, telling him that Abu Jamal would visit him the next day with the leadership’s decision.
After the guest left, we discussed the request. General Hafez expressed concerns that providing them with missiles would lead to intense conflict with Iraq, as they would likely use them to strike Baghdad. Additionally, the Arab world would revolt against us. If we refused, we would lose Iran, and we needed it. I suggested informing President Rafsanjani of our regional difficulties, conflicts with Turkey, Iraq, and Israel, as well as unrest in Lebanon. Moreover, the Soviet Union would not allow us to remove these weapons from Syria. Therefore, I proposed that Iran could request these weapons from Libya, and we would talk to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
On the second day, I conveyed this decision to President Rafsanjani, who was not pleased with it. He responded, “I expected you to agree to provide us with the weapons because our victory is your victory, and the region will become a unified zone from the coast of Tyre to Afghanistan.” At that moment, I inferred that we would become a province within the Islamic Republic of Iran. After this conversation, we became cautious about getting involved with Iran, and we decided to maintain good relations.
Iran has implemented its program to inflame sectarian tensions among Shia Muslims, not only in Iran but wherever Shia Muslims are present. It has effectively turned them into dormant forces and established armed organizations among Shia Muslims outside Iran, especially in Lebanon and Iraq. Now, Iran dominates Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, and it has significant influence in Yemen, among other regions, politically and by providing assistance to Shia organizations.
Iran focused on Syria due to its strategic location, enabling it to dominate Lebanon and Iraq. Consequently, Iran devised a plan to displace Sunni Syrian citizens, encouraging large groups of Iranians and Shia Muslims from other countries to settle in Syria. Iran has made the Syrian regime, with its armed forces, security apparatus, and supporters, part of its own power. Moreover, it trained Syrian officers in the military and security forces, enhancing their loyalty. Frankly speaking, Syria’s security apparatus is controlled by Iran, not Bashar al-Assad, and at any moment, if Iran wants to overthrow Bashar al-Assad, it can.
This is the reality on the ground. Iran’s attempt to change the demographic and social structure of Syrians is not a recent phenomenon limited to Bashar’s era. During Hafez al-Assad’s era, an Iranian religious mission was sent to the Syrian coast in an attempt to convert Alawites to the Shia sect. A delegation of Alawite clerics came to Damascus concerned about the change of their sect and requested General Hafez al-Assad to expel the Iranian religious mission from Syria. Indeed, instructions were issued, and they were expelled within 24 hours.
Despite his strong ties with the Iranian leadership, Hafez al-Assad was aware of the danger. The continuation of this proselytizing campaign would lead to arousing all Islamic sects against the regime. Here, I am not calling for sectarian conflict that tears apart Muslims and exhausts nations. Instead, I call for insight so that matters do not slip into a field of conflict that will harm both the Arab and Islamic worlds.
I appeal to Syrians to preserve their national unity and avoid sliding into sectarian conflicts of all kinds, as these conflicts will weaken them, undermine national unity, and lead to the disintegration and division of the country. The nation needs all its sons, and a sense of national responsibility requires cohesion and distancing from anything that promotes division.