Secretary-General of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), Haytham Rahmeh, highlighted the increasing clarity of Iran’s control over Syria’s state apparatus through a surge in decisions issued by the Assad regime, which favor Iranian militants and grant them special privileges and rewards within Syria.
Rahmeh pointed out a stark contrast in treatment, where the Assad regime demands returning Syrians to pay a $100 entry fee in exchange for their entry, while allowing Iranians to enter Syria and pay their hotel fees in Syrian pounds.
Emphasizing that all decisions issued by the Assad regime reflect a strategy of dominance and exploitation of the people’s properties, Rahmeh observed that these decisions are subject to change when it comes to Iranians. The regime is hamstrung from issuing any decision that might hinder the movement of Iranians within Syria, which illustrates the extent of Iranian penetration into the regime’s institutions, nearing near-total control.
Rahmeh underlined that the Assad regime has become incapable of extricating itself from Iranian influence, thereby highlighting the grave mistake made by Arab nations in readmitting the Assad regime to the Arab League and re-establishing normalized relations.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
