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Assad’s advances heighten Iran-Russia rift in Syria

As the regime gains ground in Syria, the divergence of Iranian and Russian interests there becomes more apparent.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani attend a meeting during the Fifth Caspian Summit in Aktau, Kazakhstan August 12, 2018.  Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - UP1EE8C1E0PP0
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In Syria, it's increasingly clear that Iran and Russia aren't getting along the way they did in 2015 when Moscow first intervened to help keep President Bashar al-Assad in power. Back then, the situation was too chaotic and complicated for the allies of convenience to differ on existential issues, though they had several clashes of views that were reflected in the field.

From Aleppo to Homs, and from Damascus to Palmyra, the intersection of Russian and Iranian interests was far greater during Assad’s bad days than today, particularly as he’s preparing to announce his victory in the seven-year-long war once his forces secure Idlib. Now the main questions are, how do the Russians and Iranians differ in Syria, and why?

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