Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2nd R) review the guard of honour in Damascus January 19, 2006. Photo by Reuters
Former Iranian President: 'Slim' Chances Assad Regime Will Survive Syria Civil War -- Haaretz
Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani says Islamic Republic must safeguard Syria, warns of serious implications 'if the link between Iran and Lebanon is severed.'
Former Iranian president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said last week that the chances the Syrian regime will survive the current civil war are "slim." Rafsanjani, chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran (one of the most important councils in the Islamic Republic) said in a meeting with Iraqi delegates that he was worried about the implications a collapse of the Syrian regime may have on the situation in Iraq and elsewhere.
"Syria must not be a factor blocking our way," he said. "We must safeguard Syria. If the chain between Iran and Lebanon is severed there will be serious ramifications."
Read more ....
My Comment: The Iranians are seeing the handwriting on the wall. It appears that they are now accepting the possibility that Assad will be driven out of power in 2013 or early 2014, and are now issuing the necessary threats as well as signaling to their allies in the region (Hezbollah in Lebanon being one of them) that they will not be abandoned by Iran.