Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on July 11, 2018. (Yuri Kadobnov / AFP / Getty Images)
As the conflict in Syria is entering into its final phase, the role of Moscow as a player that can mediate between the different sides allowing them to find a way to de-escalate tensions has grown further.
On July 11-12, Russian President Vladimir Putin held separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Foreign Policy Adviser Ali Akbar Velayati.
In both cases, the situation in the Middle East, including the ongoing conflcit in Syria, was top of the agenda.
Netanyahu met with Putin on July 11 asking Russia to help to remove Iranian forces from Syria or at least to pull them back from the Syrian-Israeli contact line.
“It is well-known for you – our focus is what is going on in Syria and Iran,” the Israeli prime minister told the Russian president as they headed into their meeting. “Iran needs to leave Syria — that is not something new for you.”
During the meenting, Putin was joined by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and other top aides. PM’s National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat, Israeli ambassador to Russia Gary Koren and the PM’s chief of staff Yoav Horowitz were accompanying Netanyahu.
According to an anonymous Israeli official cited by the media, Netanyahu allegedly said during the meeting that Tel Aviv does not intend to threaten Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria but wants Russian assistance to remove “Iranian forces” from southern Syria near the Israeli-occupied territories.
“Our bilateral relations are developing rather positively,” Putin said during the meeting with the Israeli prime minister. “It concerns our cooperation not just in the sphere of economy, but in the political area as well. Relations between the defense departments are at a high level as well.”
On July 12, Putin received Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Foreign Policy Adviser in his Novo-Ogaryovo residence. The meeting also involved Foreign Minister Lavrov and head of the Supreme Leader’s board of advisers Ali Asghar Fathi Sarbangoli and Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanai.
Ali Akbar Velayati submited messages from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani. The sides also discussed the situation in Syria and the Middle East in general.
Speaking to reporters upon arrival in Moscow on July 11, Velayati described the Russian-Iranian relations as “strategic”, expressing hope that his visit would boost the tiees further. He added that the Iranian-Russian cooperation over the conflict in Syria is an indication of the exemplary, strategic and long-term partnership between the countries.
Some experts described the recent meetings in Moscow as a indication of ongoing indirect talks between Iran and Israel ongoing with aissistance from Russia. These talks already allowed to at least partly de-escalate the situation in southern Syria. The recent strikes on targets in Syria by the Israeli side were more a PR stunt and the continuation of the general appraoch of Tel Aviv than a sign of nearing full-scale military escalation.
In this situation, the continued talks between the sides may allow the Syrian-Iranian-Russian alliance to finish its military operation in southern Syria without getting involved in any large-scale military incidents, like one after the alleged chemical attack in Douma in April 2018, for example.
The analysis below was originally released by SF in March 2017:
It’s weird that some countries refuse to talk to each other, even though it makes perfect sense to sit around a table and work out a solution. And instead, like shy teenagers in high school, ask a third party to send messages along.
You don’t have to like each other. Just have a talk! It’s not the end of the world. And talking is always preferable to shooting at each other.
Can one really hold successful negotiations with unrepentant evil jews?
The Palestinians have been negotiating with them for 30 years and look what was done to them by the terrorist jews during these decades of negotiations: incremental genocide and more loss of land for the Palestinians.
I think you can, but not everyone can. It’s clear they are not going to give up one inch of their socalled Holy Land. But a deal with Iran where they agree to a partition of influence spheres, I think that might be possible. After all, US and Western sanctions do hurt Iran, and the last thing the Mullah’s want is another Western inspired color revolution because of the shitty economy. And the Israelis do happen to have some ‘influence’ in Washington.
You can still continue to hurtle insults at each other, but as long as both sides know it will be just that then maybe they can live with it.
But what do I know, I’m just a guy on the internet.
If it were your house that was occupied by the jews (or any other scumbag occupier), and after thirty years of ‘negotiations’ you’re left with just living in the garden shed with no water or electricity, I doubt very much that you would still consider ‘negotiations’ a productive pursuit.
Having said that, I don’t think you understand the FULL purpose of the Axis of Resistance: it is to evict ALL foreigner invaders/colonialists and local tyrannical monarchies from the mideast region – and yes, this includes the fake euro jews, the US, UK, France, Turkey and the corrupt klepto arab monarchies. This is the long game and Russia has nothing to do with it. Russia is in the Levant only to remove takfiri terrorists from Syria – once this is done, it will withdraw its troops and allow for the Syrian gov to take full control of its destiny. This Syrian destiny includes liberating its Golan, followed by liberating Historic Palestine.
Beautifully said words. I say lets do it Mr. Khamenei, Mr. Bashar and Mr. Nasrallah. Just keep rolling up the acres until we reach Jersualem, and Palestine returns to being Palestine, Jordans king hung, and the Gulf monarchies hunted down and hung too.
I’m sure there is a lot more behind the scenes that adds to the escalation between sides, certainly not excusing Israel’s behaviour, just saying we don’t know the full story. Israel is acting like a scared bully knowing that retribution is coming for them very soon. I think what is happening is that Putin is making an agreement for truce because more gets accomplished in Syria this way. It’s certainly not justice for Syria and Iran, but at least they get their country back (or most of it), and perhaps scores will be settled later on ;)
There is no ‘ later on ‘ , do it now, just take it to the Israelis full throttle. The IDF will be no match against the vast array of forces from Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Iran. It would be a disaster. Why later on when you have the experienced soldiers, mobilizations and momentum. That is what Israel is wishing for. And the U.S. too, after their ass whopping by an outright brutal insurgency in Iraq. And still in Afghanistan. The U.S., France and England have no stomach to come to Israels aid, neither morally nor psychologically.
Well the US and Israel have been saber rattling for a long time…….they want war.
Back to your first point, let Israel throw their toys, it accomplishes nothing. Sure maybe some Syrian’s will die, and perhaps some people will find that a pill too hard to swallow, but in the interests of conquering more territory and freeing hundreds of thousands from ISIS, I personally think it’s worth it.
Israel doesn’t talk, the only language Israel understands is that of annihilation.
Israel , and Netanyahu, are in a state of panic, because they know, that when Mr. Khamenei gives the order, its the last days of the Zionist outpost. Israel knows ful well that Syria is going to fully liberate the Golan, and Israel will be lucky if the forces of the axis of resistance don’t stop there, but roll up the acres all the way to Jerusalem.
This is not the IDF of Moshe Dayan against Soviet style armies of the Arabs of 67′, 73′. When Israel had full U.S., French and British support.
.barba papa… talking with satanic israel?about what?how they torture and kill for 2000 years+?how they commit open genocide at the native population just as their number 1 slave USA showed them 100 years ago with the indians in north america?
Israel fears another regional war because it knows it will lose BIGLY – like lose EVERYTHING. But the Axis of Resistance will drag it into this coming decisive war whether israel likes it or not. No one can save israel from utter defeat. Time to pay the ferryman, mister terrorist israel!
It’s strange that Russia is the go between with their ally that hates them and their enemy that just doesn’t care.
Leverage is everything in politics. Every country which was Client to Russia which Empire fell upon, Got the living shit kicked out of it. It must be horrible to be Serbs and watch Iraq,Libya,Syria get clubbed like baby seals.
It’s allways about the $$$ US sanctions Russia, Russia sells LNG to US, The ship goes a whoreing from Europe to England. The LNG gets cached…..each nation then market speculates on the LNG .
Syria is a MIC party Zone where old shelf weapons from decades ago get dumped. Goobers drop in to instruct them minimal mind savages how to fire ATGMs,and not overdose On Captigon pills.
US are building new bases in Iraq. 16+ years in Dopeistan. Occupy 1/3rd Syria
Does Putin wear Sunglasses Cuz the Leverage/extortion is too Bright?
Brad :) You forgot to add your usual – “Putin is main zionist” and other similar BS that you usually spread here.
“that just doesn’t care”? Is that why Bibi keeps coming to Moscow (not the other way around) for 3d time in this year only? Smoug, reading your posts – do you really enjoy presenting yourself as a clown? It can’t be that you believe what you type here.
Israhelli forces should remove themselves from occupied Golan Heights,Syrian territory.Then problem solved.
Putin must have a strong stomach to have to put up with this genocidal zionist maniac calling on him repeatedly.Putin should spell it out to this lunatic,,Syria can invite anyone it likes to stay in its country,,and it has a right under international law to take back the occupied Golan Heights,no matter what lying BS this ISIS commander says.
What escalation? Israel is killing Iranians with stealth and without remorse while Iranians are fighting ISIS! Are you kidding me?
Yesterday on 11th July Netanyahu went to Moscow and beg for attack on Syria’s positions from Putin because Syria’s drone entered into Golan Heights. Putin answered Netanyahu with strong words that there are our servicemen advising Syrian army, are you want to kill them? The drone was flying under the instructions of Russia’s servicemen, so you did not allow them to see the militants positions in Golan Heights which is Syrian territory. Our servicemen are there to help Syrian army to liberate every part of Syria no matter whose control they are under.” Go and don’t come again. Then Netanyahu called to Avigdor to strike empty areas near Golan Heights with care that nobody hurts.
That’s when Isaw those 3 checkpoints with no one there made me laugh at how idiotic these Zionist shills are, they lie longer than the road in Yonge Street, Toronto which is part of the TransCanada Highway,lol!!
I don’t like that Mr. Putin allow this child butcher Netanyahu in Russia. Mr. Putin does not know that Netanyahu has blockade Palestine and taking Palestinians’ lands by plundering. Netanyahu is a big plunderer. His hands are red with the blood of Palestinian teenagers. His snipers are operating in Afghanistan, Georgia, Ukraine, Libya and Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu is a big corrupt and a big threat to the whole world.