Iran’s interest in Deir Ezzor is growing. Visit by a senior IRGC official and a delegation with Hezbollah. Objectives: to increase influence and protect arms depots in the Syrian province

There is more and more interest from Iran in Eastern Syria and in particular in Deir Ezzor. This is confirmed by the visit of a senior official of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) to the city, reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). The commander arrived from Damascus to Deir Ezzor, where a huge security mechanism had been set up to guarantee his protection. The man was accompanied by a delegation from the IRGC and Hezbollah and the group was received at the headquarters of the Shiite militia, Al-Haj Kamil. No official reasons were given for the visit, but it is presumable that the focus was on Tehran’s influence in the region and its efforts to transfer men and weapons, reducing the risk of attacks by Israel. The pro-Iran formations, in fact, are looking for new solutions to hide in the area and protect the missile and ammunition depots, continuously targeted by the Jewish state.