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Iran
Israel and the Non-Gulf Arab States
Prior to the Revolution, Iran and Israel had been de facto allies
in the Middle East. One of the very first acts of the provisional
government was to denounce that relationship and to turn over
the former Israeli mission in Tehran to the Palestine Liberation
Organization. All trade with Israel was banned, especially the
sale of oil. Iranian leaders contended that Israel's existence
was illegitimate, because it came about as a result of the destruction
of Palestine. Therefore, Iran advocated eradicating Israel and
reconstituting Palestine. Those Arabs who advocated compromise
with Israel, such as Anwar as Sadat of Egypt, were excoriated
as traitors. In general, Iran's relations with the Arab states
have been based on perceptions of each state's relations with
Israel. Thus, Iran has been hostile toward those states it regarded
as willing to accept Israel's existence--Egypt, Jordan, Morocco,
and Tunisia--and friendly toward those it regarded as sharing
Iranian views--Algeria, Libya, and Syria. Despite its uncompromising
position, however, Iran is known to have purchased weapons clandestinely
from Israel as recently as 1985.
Syria has been revolutionary Iran's principal ally in the Middle
East. This relationship involved both political and economic ties.
The de facto alliance between the two countries emerged at the
beginning of 1982. At that time, Iran supported the government
of Hafiz al Assad against the Muslim Brotherhood, which had risen
in rebellion against the secularizing policies of the ruling Baath
Party. Iran's backing of the Syrian government was significant
because the Muslim Brotherhood was the first Islamic political
group to claim the Iranian Revolution as the primary inspiration
for its rebellion. Soon after the Muslim Brotherhood had been
crushed, Damascus shut down the pipeline through which Iraqi oil
crossed Syria to reach Mediterranean ports. This action against
another Arab state, which also was ruled by a Baath party, was
an important gesture in support of the Iranian war effort. The
action was also a hostile blow against Iraq because Iraqi Persian
Gulf ports had been blockaded since the beginning of the war,
and the only other exit route for its oil exports was through
a smaller pipeline traversing Turkey. Iran had agreed to provide
Syria 20,000 barrels of oil per day free of charge as compensation
for the transit fees Syria would lose by closing the pipeline.
Iran also agreed to sell Syria additional oil it required, at
a heavily discounted price. In 1987 this agreement was again renewed.
Syria also provided Iran arms from its own stock of Soviet- and
East European-made weapons.
Data as of December 1987
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