Syria moves further into Iran’s orbit with new deal

With Iran’s signing of a preliminary agreement to work with the Syrian government to reconstruct the country’s war-damaged electrical power grid, Moscow’s and Tehran’s often competing interests gained a further foothold.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed November 4 in Tehran promised cooperation in constructing power plants, transmission lines and possibly merging Iran’s and Syria’s power grids via Iraq, the state news agency IRNA reported.

Russia has invested heavily in Syria’s natural gas and phosphates resources, as well as undertaking major construction within and around its military bases. Iran has invested in Syria’s telecommunications and electrical infrastructure.

Read the full story and more in The Arab Weekly.