Unconfirmed report: Syria's Assad makes surprise visit to Tehran

[Benton D Struckcheon]

Source: Ynet News

Embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad arrived in Tehran, Iran in a surprise visit on Tuesday evening, al-Nahar news reported. The report has not been confirmed by any reliable source.
According to the Iranian state television, a source in the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that Assad's plane landed in Tehran's Khomeini Airport accompanied by several Syrian government officials and several members of his family. The report was unconfirmed by other sources.
Earlier on Tuesday, a top UN official visiting Iran has urged it to use its influence to persuade the Syrian government to attend planned peace talks with opposition groups in Geneva, the United Nations said.

Read more: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4423090,00.html

---

Maybe a glimmer of hope for a peaceful end to this?

[Autumn]

1. Well, this is interesting.

thanks for posting this.

[JI7]

2. even if this is true, why would you think this is a sign of a peaceful end ?

i would actually think the opposite would be true.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

4. The new Iranian Prez seems a reasonable guy,

so maybe he'll talk some sense into Assad? One can only hope.

[JI7]

5. actual power is with the clerics , if he went there i think it would be to get support

to help him fight the rebels.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

6. I'm sure aid will be discussed, of course,

but the main topic now is Western intervention. Here on DU it's all US all the time, but France, which is the old colonial power, also came out and made it clear it was for punishing Assad. He's facing the entire West. I doubt the only thing they'd be talking about is military aid. That would be nuts.

[David__77]

11. Iran has made clear what its red line is.

Iran is committed to its ally just as the US is to its allies. Hopefully Obama comes to his senses.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

13. ...and Hollande and Cameron and Merkel???

[bananas]

17. Reasonable guy? He's a right-wing theocrat - imagine if Pat Robertson was elected President.

And yes, Pat Robertson did run for president many years ago.

[David__77]

3. Give me a break.

If so, it would not be to flee, but rather to ask Iran to help defend Syria against foreign aggression. There is good end to this other than the total defeat of the al Qaeda/US-supported terrorists.

[safeinOhio]

7. He is there

hiding out.

[Amonester]

8. Yep.

Afraid of the drone testers.

I don't blame him. I would be afraid of them too.

[kardonb]

9. hiding

you hit the nail on the head there ,safein . Since some kind of missile attacks are planned (maybe ) , he doesn't want to be around anywhere near Syria . Like all bullies , he is a real coward .

[David__77]

10. Oh really cowardly lol... so you think Obama should go to Syria along with the US missiles?

I mean, he's "hiding" in DC, right?

[strikeforce]

14. are you on the

doctors payroll ?

[David__77]

16. Are you on al Qaeda's payroll?

Last edited Tue Aug 27, 2013, 10:16 PM - Edit history (1)

I mean if you are implying that I'm on Dr. Assad's payroll, I must in fairness ask if you are on the payroll of his most formidable military opponent.

[Ghost Dog]

15. "Risking no Americans' lives"

appears to be a big (propaganda) meme...

[Maedhros]

19. Well, that's because American lives are IMPORTANT.

Military-age males in the vicinity of a person suspected of providing support to a possible terrorist: those lives are a dime a dozen. Omelet-making. Eggs. You know the drill.

[Alamuti Lotus]

18. Yes, America's enemies de jour are always "cowards"

It is much more heroic to use airplanes to drop bombs on cities from miles in the sky, launch missiles from distant battleships, and fire rockets from drones that are controlled from the Nevada desert. They actually created a whole new class of medal of valor for that last category. Those "cowards", indeed.

[David__77]

20. I know modern-day "heroism" is killing from afar, or sitting in a control room ordering massacres.

But if you are in a poor country, anything other than standing under the plane dropping the bomb, or otherwise sitting in the line of fire, well, that's "cowardice."

[Alamuti Lotus]

22. It is a mathematical formula

I have observed that there is a direct and proportional relation between the amount of obedience one has for the present fads of the dominant tendency, and the amount of invective that is hurled in one's direction as a result--thus is discovered "cowardice" or whatever adjectives that the commando has at their, albeit very limited, verbal disposal.

[JoeyT]

24. Coward has become such an overused word it's essentially meaningless.

A bullshit phrase to make the speaker feel all manly and tough is all that's left of it.

[Alamuti Lotus]

12. Unconfirmed rumours from Israeli media? Couldn't get more credible than that! *nt

[Sunlei]

21. interesting, especially with all his officials/family members. plus Feltmans work with Iran.

could be a chance he's stepping down? Or going to hang out for some months away from his country in a safer spot. Drag out 'peace talks' for a couple years as his homies smash everything to rubble.

[davidpdx]

23. I doubt he is there seeking peace

Iran is an ally of Syria. If anything he would be seeking help in the event of a US attack.

[bigworld]

25. Iran's foreign minister says it's not true

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/08/28/320873/iran-rejects-reports-of-assad-trip-to-tehran/

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Araqchi has rejected recent Israeli media reports that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has flown to Iran.


In a Wednesday interview, Araqchi dismissed the reports as “ridiculous.”

Certain Israeli reports had earlier claimed that Assad had left Syria for Iran on Tuesday night.

This comes as speculations have become stronger about the possibility of a military attack on Syria. Media outlets have been reporting US plans for likely surgical attacks, which would be in the form of “cruise-missile strikes,” and “could rely on four US destroyers in the Mediterranean [Sea].” The plan, however, seems to be awaiting US President Barack Obama’s go-ahead.

[Bay Boy]

26. Seeking asylum...

...was my first thought.