Iran, Israel cooperating to destabilize Syria: Turkish columnist

Turkish columnist Abdulkadir Selvi has published an insightful analysis of the recent events in Syria, highlighting the involvement of various international powers and intelligence agencies shaping the country’s future.

In his analysis, Selvi discussed how both Iran and Israel have surprisingly formed a temporary alliance in their efforts to destabilize Syria.

According to Selvi, these developments are the result of ongoing power struggles and external interventions, with both countries manipulating the situation to prevent Syria from achieving unity and stability.

Unrest in Latakia, Tartus

The unrest that began in Latakia and Tartus on March 6 raised concerns that Syria could be heading back into civil war, according to Selvi. Although the Syrian government managed to suppress the disturbances, Selvi argued these events are part of a broader international agenda aimed at destabilizing the country. He suggested the situation is not merely internal, but rather influenced by external forces.

Selvi traced the origins of the disturbances to a secret meeting held in Raqqa on March 3. The participants included representatives from the U.S. military’s Centcom, the PKK/YPG terrorist organization, a former high-ranking officer from the Syrian army under Assad, and a representative of the Druze terrorist groups.

“The events in Tartus and Latakia began just three days after this meeting,” Selvi asserted, suggesting that this timing is not a coincidence.

Iran, Israel, and the US: Competing interests in Syria

While Iran is using the Nusayri community to stir unrest, Israel has been working to destabilize the southern part of Syria by leveraging the Druze and the PKK/YPG terrorist organization, asserted Selvi.

Additionally, Israel’s growing relationship with the PKK/YPG refers to an attack in Ceramana where a terrorist group affiliated with Israel killed a Syrian soldier and raised the Israeli flag.

Selvi also refers to statements by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu

We are reaching out to our Druze allies and Kurdish friends.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu

In response, terrorist ringleader Mazlum Abdi expressed openness to Israeli support, saying they would welcome Israel’s assistance.

Iran and Israel cooperating to destabilize Syria

Selvi further asserted that the international efforts to destabilize Syria involve a temporary alliance between Iran and Israel—two long-standing rivals.

While Israel is using the PKK/YPG terrorist organization and the Druze to create chaos in southern Syria, Iran is attempting to destabilize the country through the Nusayri community and the PKK/YPG.

Selvi argued that both countries have a shared objective: preventing Syria from re-establishing unity, as a unified Syria, would pose a stronger challenge to their interests.

The role of the United States is also central to this scenario. Selvi points out that Centcom, the U.S. military’s regional arm, plays a key role in maintaining the instability in Syria by ensuring the PKK/YPG terrorist organization does not disband.

“Centcom’s involvement in Syria’s turmoil is undeniable,” Selvi mentioned.

Hakan Fidan’s warning to Iran

Selvi also mentioned a recent warning from Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to Iran.

If you don’t want stones thrown at your window, you shouldn’t throw stones at your neighbor’s window.

Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan

Fidan’s statement reflects Türkiye’s awareness of Iran’s actions in the region. While Iran continues to support Assad’s regime and backs the PKK/YPG terrorist organization in Iraq and Syria, Türkiye is taking a more cautious and responsible approach.

Selvi emphasized that Türkiye is not interested in further destabilizing the region. “Türkiye’s approach is one of responsibility, and it avoids playing into Iran’s destabilizing actions,” he mentioned, suggesting that had Türkiye intervened more directly, the situation could have escalated dramatically.

Deceptive narratives, fake videos on social media

Another important aspect of the current conflict, according to Selvi, is the role of social media in spreading disinformation.

He explained accounts linked to Iranian intelligence, Hezbollah, and the PKK/YPG terrorist organization have been circulating videos and images claiming civil massacres in Latakia and Tartus.

However, investigations revealed that some of these images were sourced from an Indian YouTube channel, while others were from earlier chemical attacks in Ghouta during Assad’s regime, repurposed to make it seem like similar events are occurring today.

“This manipulation of the media is part of a broader effort to spark a new civil war in Syria,” Selvi warned.

He urges the international community to be cautious and not fall into the traps set by those seeking to incite unrest.

Need for national unity, reform in Syria

Selvi believed that Syria’s future remains fragile. If the government fails to restore stability, the country could face an even worse civil war than the one that has already ravaged it for 13 years. Despite this, he remains optimistic that Syria can overcome these challenges, provided the government is committed to national unity and reform.

He advocated for the swift establishment of a new constitution and the holding of elections to form a legitimate, elected government.

Selvi stressed Syria must avoid opening a “Pandora’s box” of internal conflict. “If that box is opened, it could lead to catastrophic consequences,” he cautioned. However, if managed properly, Selvi believes Syria’s future can be promising.

Reaching out to Nusayri community

Selvi underscored the importance of the Syrian government reaching out to the Nusayri community, particularly in light of the recent tensions. He praises the Druze leaders who, despite Israel’s influence, raised the Syrian flag in Ceramana after an attack by an Israeli-affiliated group.

Similarly, Selvi argued that the Syrian government must work to win the trust of the Nusayri community by demonstrating that they are an integral part of the nation.

He believed this outreach was crucial to avoid the kind of polarization that has divided Syria in the past. “The Syrian government must show the Nusayri people that this is their country too,” Selvi noted, urging overthrown dictator Bashar al-Assad and his administration to take immediate steps to integrate the Nusayri community into the country’s political fold.

Syria is at a critical juncture. If the government fails to maintain stability, the country could face even greater turmoil. However, he is confident that Syria can overcome these challenges if it continues to work toward unity and reform.

He called for swift constitutional reforms and elections to establish a stable, legitimate government that could address Syria’s complex internal issues.

“Syria’s future can be bright, but only if the government tackles the challenges of unity and national reconciliation head-on,” Selvi concluded.