James Jeffrey: Russia competes hard to strike US interests in the Middle East

The former US envoy to Syria, James Jeffrey, warned of the growing Russian influence in the Middle East, especially in Syria, noting that “Russia is competing strongly to strike US interests in the region in a way that Washington has not seen.”

Jeffrey emphasized that the ongoing conflict in Syria is “the biggest mistake made by the administration of former US President Barack Obama,” because it is a “military impasse” that Russia can manipulate with the hope of becoming an equal power to the United States in the region.

According to “Arab News”, Jeffrey stressed that any reduction of the American presence in the region could lead to closer relations between Tehran and Moscow, which would increase the confidence of the Iranian militias.

The former American diplomat believed that Russia is benefiting from the new US administration’s approach towards Iran in its efforts to build stronger alliances, stressing that Moscow’s interests in the region are not limited to Syria and Iran, but rather extend to form alliances with regional players such as Turkey and Iraq.

Source: Agencies