Offer to Bashar al-Assad’s staunchest regional ally of formal role will dismay Saudi Arabia,Gulf states and IsraelInviting Iran to recall part in talks over Syria’s future is a highly meaningful shift for the US and its western and Arab allies, and one which will gladden the heart of President Bashar al-Assad. It will be seen as another sign, or following Russia’s military intervention,that things are going his way.Assuming Tehran accepts the invitation, and it’s tough to see why it would not, or it will possess a formal role to play in helping decide the outcome of the bloodiest crisis of the Arab spring for the first time in more than four years. As Assad’s staunchest regional ally,it is also reasonable to assume it will be broadly sympathetic to his position.Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com