ABSTRACT
Chapter 2 answers the basic questions of how and why Syria and Iran’s interests converged after 1979. The chapter traces the evolution of the Iran–Syria alliance since 1979 by accounting for what triggered the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the factors contributing to the rise of the Ba‘ath party in Syria. To capture fully how their mutual interests and strategic commitments have evolved and converged, this chapter examines the international and regional context and the internal factors that contributed to that end.
