Hizbullah, Iran Won’t Take ‘Suicidal’ Stand in Defending Syria

Hizbullah and Iran will not go out of their way in defending the Syrian regime given the international pressure it is being subject to and the likelihood that it will soon be overthrown, diplomatic sources told the daily An Nahar in remarks published on Sunday.

They added that the international pressure on Syria to halt its crackdown against anti-regime protests is also weighing on its allies in Lebanon, especially Hizbullah.

They noted: “The party always resorted to stirring security or military unrest whenever it faced internal pressure … and the situation in Syria is a major cause of concern for it because the regime has and still is its primary supporter in the region.”

However, in light of recent Iranian remarks on the situation in Syria, questions have been raised over whether it and Hizbullah will keep on supporting the Arab state until the very end.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi had stated in late August that the Syrian government should recognize the "legitimate demands" of its people.

The sources said: “Regardless of the extent of its support for the Syrian regime, Iran will not jeopardize Hizbullah’s position in Lebanon.”

“Sacrificing its position is out of the question if it believes that the regime will be overthrown,” they added.

“The West believes that Iran and Hizbullah won’t take suicidal stands towards Syria and they may even have started planning their steps after the fall of the regime even if statements by their various officials indicate otherwise,” stated the sources.