A sharp increase recently in the number of Iranian commanders and military personnel killed in Syria has started a rare debate and protest back home about the country’s increased involvement in Syria which is aimed at proping up Bashar al-Assad.
The AFP reported that in Tehran, where war dead are remembered in giant public murals, newly erected memorials are a sign of the human cost that the regime is paying in Syria, amid worries of what is to come.
Though not comparable to the 1980-1988 war with Iraq — in which hundreds of thousands of Iranians were killed — the Iranian regime’s role in Syrian hotspots such as Aleppo has intensified.
The past two weeks have seen the demise of one of regime’s best known generals, Hossein Hamedani, two colonels and nine other members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
The mounting toll has followed Russia’s launch of an air campaign in support of Assad that has coincided with an escalation in the ground war.
The confluence of events has for the first time in Iran led some to openly argue the country’s four-year involvement in Syria, with concerns aired on social media.
“We shouldn’t lose our commanders so easily”, wrote one online remonstrant. “This is a mistake that we also often made during the imposed war,” referring to the Iran-Iraq war. This comment came following confirmation of the two colonels’ deaths.
“The fact that our generals are being martyred shows that they are right in the middle of the battle,” apparently another frustrated Hezbollah militant said on Instagram after some of the IRGC deaths emerged via the photosharing service.
Iran’s ties with Syria are deep — Assad’s late father, Hafez, when president sided with Iran against Saddam. Tehran has provided the current leader with military and financial aid against Western- and Gulf-backed rebel fighters since the unrest broke out in 2011.
Diplomatic efforts to end the civil war are stalemated, with Russia and Iran sticking with Assad while the United States and Saudi Arabia insist he must go, even if not immediately.

Iran regime devotees carry the casket of Iran’s Gen. Hossein Hamedani

Many of those taking to social media caution that were IS to reach Iran’s borders, the country’s commanders would no longer be alive to lead the fight.
Giant posters of Hamedani, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war who had conducted 80 missions in Syria, and others killed there dominate squares, bridges and other prominent places in Tehran.

– Death toll ’more noticeable’ –

But as the fighting against IS and anti-Assad rebel forces has intensified so has Iran’s casualties. It has become impossible for the IRGC to shield them.
In an admission of the difficulties, the IRGC’s deputy commander gave an extensive interview on state television on Monday night, in what appeared to be an effort to address public concern.
“They must visit the scene… and must get to know the realities on the ground in order to be able to advise. They cannot sit in rooms and help the Syrian army,” said Brigadier General Hossein Salami.
“Our presence increased in quantity and quality. Our number of martyrs is not high, but compared to before it is more noticeable,” he said, conceding that Syria had asked for more help.
No official figures have been given but the number of fighters under Iran’s command, ranging from Shiite Muslim volunteers to Afghans and Lebanese Hezbollah militia, is estimated at several thousand.
The debate being conducted online in Iran includes many who post comments beneath stories carried by media outlets with close ties to the IRGC, including the Fars news agency.
Many reject being dragged into the unpopular war claiming they have already walked down that road. They describe the difficulties of combating IS and the need for proper military training.
“As someone who was there for a while I can tell you Syria is not suitable for volunteers,” one commenter named Hassan Hadi wrote.
“First you should know Arabic. Second, you should know the ground and its cities, their culture, and you should master the basic principles of urban warfare in the horrible towns of Syria.”
Russia’s air campaign is seen by many analysts as part of a short-term axis with Iran to turn the civil war and the fight against IS — also known by the Arabic acronym Daesh — in Assad’s favour.
A political adviser in Tehran with close ties to the regime, said the latest initiative can only succeed if ground battles are won, hinting Iranian troops could yet end up fighting.
“It is possible,” he said. “Maybe Syrian troops and militias are enough, maybe not. If we are asked (by Assad) we will have no choice…”