Will Putin, Khamenei negotiate Assad's ouster?
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as they reaffirmed their agreement that the United States is wrong to try to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
US officials’ ears were probably burning during a Nov. 23 meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Putin made the trip, his first to Tehran since 2007, for a summit of gas-exporting countries. But during a separate meeting with Khamenei, Syria was the dominant topic. The supreme leader’s office provided a partial transcript of the two-hour meeting, which Fars News Agency posted on its website.
Khamenei praised Moscow’s policies in the Middle East, particularly in Syria, saying they have increased the stature of Russia and Putin himself. In late September, as Russia said it would enter the fight against the Islamic State in Syria, Russia significantly increased its military support to President Bashar al-Assad, helping the beleaguered Syrian army with Russian air power.
Khamenei criticized US policies in Syria, saying, “It is a threat to all nations, especially Russia and Iran.” He warned that the United States and its allies, having failed to accomplish their goals in Syria via armed conflict, are now pursuing the same goals via negotiations. Khamenei believes that the US’ goal in Syria is to reassert its dominance in the Middle East.
