[On July 31, up to 150 Syrians were said to have been killed in an army
assault on the northern city of Hama, Middle East Newsline reported. Western diplomats said the Assad
regime wanted to crush the revolt in Hama, a leading stronghold of the
Muslim Brotherhood, before the onset of Ramadan.]
The article published in July, titled "Iran's Serious Stance in the Face of Syrian Events"
and said to reflect IRGC thinking, warned that Syria would remain a
strategic asset of Iran. IRGC said Ankara was playing a double game,
pretending to support democratic change while working to undermine Syria.
IRGC said Turkey was trying to exploit the revolt in Syria to press on
long-held border claims. The author warned that Iran would stand with Syria
against any Turkish intervention.
"The whole world is aware of Iran's relationship with Syria and Iran
should not keep this hidden," the article said. "Should Turkish officials
insist on their contradictory behavior and if they continue on their current
path, serious issues are sure to follow. We will be put in the position of
having to choose between Turkey and Syria. Syria's justification in
defending herself along with mirroring ideological perceptions would sway
Iran toward choosing Syria."
The article was published after Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei
relayed a warning to President Barack Obama against U.S. intervention in
Syria.
Teheran has also warned Turkey against helping Washington in a
NATO-led
missile defense umbrella aimed to stop Iranian attacks on Europe. Khamenei
raised the prospect that Turkey could be a target of Iran's huge missile
arsenal.
"From Iran's standpoint, the Syrian leadership is in the midst of
resolving its problems, and as soon as foreign meddling stops, the Syrians
will be able to revert back to normal," the IRGC article said.
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