By Malin Muhammad/ Zana al-Ali
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Iran has asserted its influence in southern Syria through consolidating military presence, conducting recruitment campaigns, and securing control over drug smuggling routes.
Iran continues to expand its influence in the region and, furthermore, endeavors to exploit opposition to its presence, particularly by Israel, to its foreign policy advantage.
Iranian military posts in southern Syria are directly affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). There are also posts linked to Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah.
Iran’s military intervention in Syria has begun in 2011 by providing logistical, technical, and financial support to security and military services of the Syrian government against protests. That involvement has escalated to an overt military intervention since 2015.
Iran-backed militias have played a significant role in assisting Syrian government forces regain control of many regions, including the western countryside of Damascus, areas of Daraa and Quneitra in southern Syria, in addition to other areas in Aleppo, northwestern Syria, and Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria.
Growing influence
Researcher Mustafa al-Nuaimi told North Press that more than 80 Iranian military posts are deployed across Quneitra, Daraa, and Suwayda Governorates in southern Syria.
These posts are held by the IRGC, Hezbollah, and various multi-national militias backed by the IRGC.
Over half of the Iranian posts in southern Syria are concentrated in the countryside of Daraa, followed by Quneitra and then Suwayda.
In Quneitra, there are 27 military sites, including 10 for Hezbollah, five for the IRGC, and 12 shared sites between them, according to the researcher.
Al-Nuaimi believes that Iran utilizes its military presence in the region to exert pressure on Israel, attempting to leverage that in its negotiations with western countries regarding its nuclear program, drones, and ballistic missiles.
According to al-Nuaimi, concerns in the southern governorates revolve around the implementation of potential demographic, cultural, and sectarian changes, which may be the “greatest danger” of Iran’s presence in the south.
The researcher believes that Iran will not withdraw from southern Syria merely because of local and international condemnations. In addition, it will not to waver in front of American-Israeli agreements, as long as there is no military pressure against its presence.
Recruitment plans
Russia has eagerly allowed Iran’s encroachment in southern Syria despite agreements between Russia and the Syrian government to distance Iran-affiliated multi-national militias during a meeting of national security directors in the summer of 2018.
Israeli airstrikes have increased in 2023, targeting positions and arms shipments of Hezbollah and Iranian militias in Syria.
Local sources in the countryside of Quneitra said that a local leader – known for his cooperation with government-affiliated security services and his ties to Hezbollah – has visited Quneitra several times over the past few months.
The leader, along with other prominent figures in the region, agreed to recruit local fighters for Hezbollah, according to the sources.
The recruitment plan targets residents of many villages, including al-Hajja, al-Dwayat, and Swisah, al-Rafeed, al-Hiran, al-Ghadir, al-Mu’allaqa, Saidah, Grgis, and al-Kusajba.
There are two potential objectives behind the recruitment plan, according to the sources; one is to secure protection and control over drug smuggling routes, while the other is for Hezbollah to replace former fighters with new recruits.