ABSTRACT
The Irano Syrian alliance has remained intact for nearly a decade, in spite of very obvious discrepancies between the two countries: Syria is a socialist republic, Iran a radical Islamic theocracy. Syria is strongly supported by Moscow; Iran is in conflict with the Soviet Union. Syria, by its own claims, is the most devout bearer of Pan-Arabism; Iran opposes the very concept of a nation-state and is at odds with most of the Arab world. Syria is motivated by a powerful drive for social, economic and cultural modernisation; Iran, by contrast, has revived the social, economic, legal and cultural patterns of pre-modern periods. Nevertheless, all signs indicate that both parties have been content with their alliance policies.
