Iran-authored Syria plan en route to UN
Not much can be done for Syria until major Middle East players agree to put aside their differences and form a united front against the Islamic State — and Iran has a four-step plan for the next phase.
There is no way to save Syria unless Middle Eastern countries unite to battle the Islamic State (IS), an Egyptian diplomatic source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity.
“Nothing can be done to save Syria unless the main parties make a decision to stop fighting” among themselves, said the diplomat. “It’s for Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar to decide to stop fighting and sit at a roundtable or else all attempts will be lost in the wind.”
The diplomat, who was visiting Beirut when Al-Monitor met him, said that in order for that to happen, “They have to feel the threat” from IS.
The main parties do seem to have felt the threat. Many nations involved in the Syrian crisis have suffered bombings or unrest or seen IS activities close enough to threaten the borders of their broader national security. Most of them seem to have started new efforts to combat IS and similar groups, while at the same time trying to find a solution for the crisis shaking Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
