Iran suspends road project with Syria
The coronavirus pandemic has started to have its toll on Iranian presence in a number of Middle Eastern countries.
Iran
has started pulling out of Syria in a gradual manner. Iran also reportedly has
frozen the Tehran Road project, which would have connected the Iranian capital
with Syria through Iraq.
These
developments attest to the deep economic crisis Iran suffers at present. This
crisis will apparently shatter the regional ambitions of Iran's mullahs.
Iran
has suspended work on the Tehran Road project, according to some Gulf
newspapers on May 21. However, it did not provide any reasons for the
suspension of the project.
Some
people attribute this suspension to the coronavirus outbreak in Iranian cities
and the failure of Iranian authorities in containing it.
The
virus outbreak has negatively affected Iran's industrial sector and
consequently the country's financial conditions. Together with the U.S.
economic sanctions, these deteriorating financial conditions are having a heavy
toll on the Iranian economy, in general.
The
project was unveiled in 2019, during a visit to Iraqi capital Baghdad by
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Rouhani
signed a number of agreements in the Iraqi capital, including an agreement on
the construction of a railroad between Iraq and Iran and the demarcation of
land borders between the two countries.
Rouhani
also signed an agreement on the construction of a road that connects Iran with
Syria through Iraq.
The
project reflects Iran's desire to have a direct link to the Mediterranean Sea
through Banias Port in Syria. It also demonstrates Iran's desire to be directly
connected with Lebanon. However, the U.S. considers the road an attempt by Iran
to get around the economic sanctions.
Iran
has had to suspend the project because of pressures from the U.S., some
analysts said.
The
U.S. worked hard to sabotage the project ever since Iran unveiled it.
Washington is just afraid that Iran will use the road in supplying its militias
in Syria with arms.
