Iran Warns of Possible 'Armageddon' if Syria Can’t Be Held Together

[bananas]

Source: Wall Street Journal

The possibility, raised by the U.S. last month, that Syria might not stay whole if the conflict there didn’t end soon could lead to “Armageddon” in the Middle East, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said.

Tehran opposed any redrawing of borders, which would raise the prospect of an even wider conflict engulfing the region, Mr. Zarif said Tuesday during a visit to Australia.

“How do you draw the lines?” he asked just days after peace talks aimed at ending the five-year-old conflict got under way. “That would be the beginning of our region’s 30-year war. So let’s not even go to that territory.”

<snip>

Mr. Zarif said that every country in the Middle East, including his own, needed to think about ways to end decades of military and sectarian conflict, but that this must not include a redrawing of post-World War II borders to give groups such as the Kurds or the Islamic Alawite sect their own regions.

“Change in how we govern, change in how we interact with each other. That is what requires change,” Mr. Zarif said during a speech at the Australian National University in Canberra. “Changing borders will only make the situation worse. That will be the beginning – if you believe (in religious texts) – of Armageddon.”

<snip>

Read more: http://www.wsj.com/articles/iran-calls-russias-syria-withdrawal-positive-1458022062

[Darb]

1. Yeah, ok, got it.

Sounds like any Repubnic here in the States. He should try ramping DOWN the rhetoric, instead of UP.

[karynnj]

2. His comments here are in line with the effort to end the hostilities

They actually go beyond Syria. If they are honest, it sounds like a call to end all the Sunni/Shia and US/Russia proxy wars that are destroying the area.

The Kerry comment was saying the same thing. Unless they can very quickly end the fighting, the fear is that Syria will not be able to be what everyone agreed to - a unified country.

[Darb]

3. Your interpretation sounds better. I will acquiesce.

There are a lot of cavemen out there trying to throw in a wrench. It is hard to tell the diff.

[karynnj]

5. I don't think anyone is optimistic

The entire area is so inflamed it is hard to see how an agreement can be reached anywhere that tamps the violence down. Between the rebels, the Kurds, the Turks, the Russians, hezzbollah, which Iran funds, Iran, the Saudis and other Sunni states and the US , it is hard to see how they could all find a common ground that they all agree is better than the status quo.

If they do, it will because they are all convinced that continuing war is not in their interest. Past efforts failed, because one or both sides thought that they could get everything they wanted if they kept fighting longer. Given all the destruction, it is horrifying that all that could have been avoided had more diplomacy been used to resolve things to begin with. Given how the country is now, everyone lost, no one won.

[Rafale]

4. NEW FLASH

Iraq and Syria are no longer nation states. Soon the conflict will expand to Lebanon. Now think about who benefits from a wider war. Could be a long list.

[ghostsinthemachine]

6. News flash: Russia starts withdrawing from Syria!

CNN top story right now.