The Syrian government, burdened by its secret commitments and Tehran’s debts, finds itself yielding to Iranian pressure. These obligations, far-reaching and impacting sovereign sectors, have effectively mortgaged Syria’s future to Tehran’s political will.
Despite the regime’s attempts to persuade the public, suffering from economic hardships, of the positive outcomes of these concessions to Iran, skepticism remains high. The leadership’s strategy of committees and signing agreements to implement previous ones has failed to alleviate this burden, as Iran corners the Syrian regime with a clear message: oil, the economic lifeline, in exchange for honouring past commitments.
Syria and Iran Deepen Ties, Focus on Economic Cooperation, Shared Regional Stances
In a series of direct pressures exerted by Tehran over the past year, the results are now becoming apparent. Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous, accompanied by top economic ministers and the governor of the Central Bank, recently signed detailed agreements in Iran. These pertain to commitments made during Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi’s visit to Damascus and subsequent Syrian economic delegations to Tehran.
The Syrian regime now grapples with public exposure of its secret deals with Iran, aimed at servicing a burgeoning debt of 50 billion dollars, fueled by continuous Iranian oil supplies. Questions arise about the lack of positive impacts on Syrians’ lives from these economic agreements, previously involving Russia and China, and now Iran.
The Global website, reflecting loyalist media perspectives, attempts to justify these secretive deals, suggesting the necessity of economic aid from Iran in Syria’s battle against global terrorism. However, this rationale overlooks the cost paid by future Syrian generations and the Assad family’s grip on power.
The secrecy surrounding these agreements is justified by the international sanctions and blockade faced by both countries. This pretext enables the regime to freely negotiate economic deals with Iran without transparency.
The Global website optimistically promises positive results from these agreements following the Prime Minister’s significant visit to Tehran. Yet, this overlooks Iranian statements focused on debt recovery rather than improving Syrian livelihoods.
The agreements span various sectors, including tourism, energy, communications, oil, phosphate, and agriculture, aiming to elevate Iran’s economic influence in Syria to match their political relations. This economic penetration plan includes establishing a bank in Syria, dealing in local currencies, and cancelling customs duties, favouring Iranian interests and products.
In summary, these agreements represent Iran’s deepening economic foothold in Syria, potentially reshaping the country’s economic and political landscape.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
