Rajab Safarov, Director General of the Center for Studies of Modern Iran, Vladimir Yevseyev, Director of the Center for Socio-Political Studies, Sergey Ivanov, an ambassador and Advisor of the President of the Russian Diplomatic Academy, and Alexander Kuznetsov, Deputy Director of the Institute for Forecasts and Political Settlement, have discussed realization of the Greater Middle East project by the US, their allies and Arabian sponsors.
Ivanov emphasized that Russia and the world were standing before a choice. He believes that the US were using Syria to test the military potential of Iran. Qatar was ready to fight for its purposes to the end. Ivanov noted that Syria was practically a neighbour state of Russia and had many Russian citizens. He expects the Syrian military to fight to the last drop of blood, should a war start.
Safarov pointed out that the US had taken care of European politicians and the Congress. He noted that a lot depended on Russia. The expert said that Russia was the reason the attack on Syria was postponed. A more persistent approach would allow Russia to gain international respect.
Safarov believes that one of the reasons for the operation is to provoke Iran. It may attack regional oil pipelines to affect European oil supplies and may carry out a preventive strike on Israel. Safarov insists that Russia must strengthen Iran and help Syria.
Yevseyev stressed on rumours of the Iranian conflict. He said that if Obama wanted to hit Syria he would have done it long ago. The US need to attack only 20 targets to destroy chemical weapons. He predicts countless civil casualties in such attack. The expert expects the operation to start after September 11, the day of vote at the Congress. Yevseyev accused the US of being hired by Saudites and fighting on the side of Al Qaeda, undermining the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The expert warned Iran against getting too deep into the conflict and bombing Israel. The situation in Syria will cause repercussions in Israel, Turkey and refugee flow to Jordan.
Kuznetsov called attacks on Syria a controllable chaos if they continue for days. There are 2 million Syrian refugees, many of which stay in Lebanon. Hezbollah will switch its efforts to Israel. The US will ruin its image in long-term prospects, because it did not help Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and will not be able to protect Israel. Eventually, the US will have to reduce presence in the Middle East, leaving behind conflicts of the Arabs and Israel, Sunnis and Shiites. Kuznetsov expressed confidence that Russia must minimize repercussions for the region. He said that Russia should cooperate with Egypt and Iran to help Syria.
