Divisions in the Middle East intensified today as Iran publicly vowed to support its “brother nation” Syria — while other neighbouring countries said they would seek stronger action to oust President Bashar al-Assad.
As fighting raged in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, said they would head to the UN General Assembly to seek a new resolution calling for a transition to a democratic government.
It follows the lack of progress at the UN Security Council, where Russia and China last week vetoed a resolution threatening more sanctions against the Assad regime. Unlike the Security Council, there are no vetoes in the General Assembly of 193 nations — although its resolutions are not enforceable.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar announced the latest Arab plan yesterday. Qatari diplomat Abdulrahman Al-Hamadi said Syria’s threat to use chemical and biological weapons, and other threats to the region, “have made us feel even further regret with the inability of the Security Council to deal with the Syrian crisis in an effective manner”.
But Iran’s vice-president Ali Saeedlou pledged support for Syria after a meeting its deputy prime minister. Describing the two countries as powerful states able to influence regional and global stability, he said: “Tehran is ready to give its experience and capabilities to its friend and brother nation of Syria.”
The conflict is already being seen by many as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia, which is backing the mainly Sunni rebels, and Iran, which is behind Mr Assad’s Alawite-led regime.
Bashar Ja’afari, Syria’s ambassador to the UN, accused Saudi Arabia and Qatar of interfering in his country and “conspiring” against the peace plan of international envoy Kofi Annan. Both Syrian government forces and rebels were reported to be throwing reinforcements into the battle for Aleppo, where fighting is in its sixth day. Activists said tank columns were heading to the city.
