Iran and Russia aim to oust US from Syria, says Pentagon official.

Iran and Russia Collaborating to Push U.S. Out of Syria, Says Defense Official

A senior defense official revealed on Friday that Iran and Russia are joining forces to drive the U.S. military out of Syria. In a concerning incident, a Russian aircraft flew unprofessionally close to a U.S. MQ-9 drone, while another aircraft spent a significant amount of time surveilling the U.S.’s Al Tanf garrison in Syria. The U.S. lacked the means to deter the manned aircraft from its base.

Increased Aggression and Cooperation

These incidents, along with Iranian interceptions of vessels in nearby waterways, indicate a notable rise in Russian aggression in the region. While there have been sporadic instances of increased Russian aggression in the past, the official noted that this behavior has become more frequent and prolonged.

The official stated, “My assessment, and we have some evidence to support this, is that as Russia and Iran have pulled themselves closer together, that there is interest on both sides to push us out of Syria to put a pressure campaign on us. There’s a confluence of interest between these three — the Iranians, Russians, and Syrians — and my assessment is that there’s a degree of cooperation, collaboration, planning, where they potentially are looking at how they pressure us over time to push the U.S. out.”

Avoiding Escalation

Despite the increased aggression, the official emphasized that there doesn’t appear to be a willingness from Russia to engage in an escalation with U.S. forces. American military leaders also have no desire to engage Russian forces. Both countries utilize a de-confliction line to communicate, although the official admitted that the correspondence on this line can sometimes become heated.

Strengthened Relationship and Concerns

The official believes that the relationship between Iran and Russia has significantly strengthened, particularly due to Russia’s involvement in the war in Ukraine. Iran has supplied Russia with deadly drones, which were subsequently used to target Ukrainian infrastructure. In return, Iran has finalized a deal to purchase Su-35 fighter jets from Russia and is seeking additional weapons and equipment.

Last month, National Security Council coordinator John Kirby expressed concerns that Russia is collaborating with Iran to produce Iranian UAVs from within Russia. He warned that this production plant could be fully operational early next year.

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