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Iranians Differ Widely On Military Intervention in Syria

Most Iranians support their government seeking an end to the war in Syria, but differ on whether to provide direct military support to President Bashar Al-Assad's regime.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (L) attends an official meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran October 2, 2010. REUTERS/KHAMENEI.IR/Handout (IRAN - Tags: POLITICS) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - RTXSY63

TEHRAN, Iran — Following the evening prayer in a prominent mosque in southeast Tehran, one day after Eid al-Fitr — the day that marks the end of Ramadan — the prayer leader of the mosque begrudgingly agreed to speak to me about his opinion regarding Iran’s role in the bloody Syrian war.

“Look, I don’t know what you are after," said the cleric. "We are standing on one side, and on the other side there is Satan. First of all, from the beginning, the [Supreme] Leader stated that the Syrian conflict is a ‘diversion.’ He is the guardian of the Muslim world. Did you see how his prediction came true? These animals who say we want democracy, backed by America and Britain, are the same people that ate the heart [of a Syrian soldier]. Did you see that the [Supreme] Leader and the regime’s words were true? If you have eyes, you have seen it. We will do anything to defend the Syrian people against such animals.”

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