Russian warships arrived at the Syrian port city of Tartus on Sunday, January 8. A senior Iranian lawmaker says the presence of Iranian and Russian naval forces in Syria’s coastal waters is a clear warning to the US to refrain from any possible military adventurism. “The United States should take Iran’s warning about [refraining from any possible] military intervention in Syria seriously,”... 

There are no signs of an end to the violence in Syria, Iran’s key ally in the region, with the West keen to change the Tehran-friendly regime. A noose is being drawn, but experts fear it may leave Iran compelled to act. ­Since the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, Iran and Syria have developed all sorts of ties. The Islamic Republic supplies arms, ammunition and military technology to the Syrian security... 

An unmanned Hawk drone. A new report reveals that the US military has dispatched a number of unmanned military and intelligence drones for operations in Syrian skies. US drones are monitoring “the Syrian military attacks against opposition forces and civilians,” NBC News reported citing unnamed US defense officials. According to the report, Washington hopes to use the overhead evidence and communications... 

Iranian Warship An Iranian flotilla has arrived in a Syrian port to provide maritime training to the country’s navy, media reports. It’s only the second time Iranian warships have sailed through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean. The ships have docked in the Syrian port of Tartus some 220 kilometres from the capital. They are due to take part in a joint training exercise with Syrian navy which... 

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has announced his country is committed to preventing war and chaos in the crisis-hit Syria. “On the issue of Syria, what is most urgent and pressing now is to prevent war and chaos,” Wen said on Tuesday. “To achieve this objective, China supports efforts consistent with the UN charter and principles and we are ready... 

The regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria is expecting up to 15,000 Iranian troops to help maintain order in the country’s provinces, a Chinese newspaper reports. Iran has yet to confirm or deny the news. According to the central Chinese daily Renmin Ribao, the Iranian special task troops are due to be deployed in Syria’s key provinces. The Syrian opposition announced earlier that commander of Iran’s... 

US F35 The White House is saying “no” to arming opposition and other military involvement in the Syrian conflict – for the moment. Pentagon and US Central Command launched a review of US military capabilities in case that “no” turns a “yes.” ­The backdoor for military action was ajar with State Department, spokesman Victoria Nuland saying that US never takes any option off the table,... 

Syria could get another chance at a diplomatic escape route from its continuing political crisis as the Russian delegation has arrived on Tuesday to hold talks with President Assad. A last-ditch delegation to Damascus bearing a personal message for Bashar al-Assad from President Medvedev has been welcomed by thousands of people lining the streets of the Syrian capital. Russian FM is holding talks... 

UK foreign secretary William Hague speaking in Parliament on Monday The United States has shut down its embassy in Syria. The announcement comes amid mounting reports of lethal government attacks. The UK has followed the suit, summoning their ambassador from Damascus. UK Foreign Secretary William Hague says the British ambassador has been recalled from Syria for consultations. The Secretary has also... 

The UN draft resolution on Syria reportedly calls for President Assad to hand power over to his deputy in 15 days or face “further measures”. It also clarifies that no foreign forces will be deployed to the country. The draft, obtained by the Guardian, emphasized any punitive measures would be peaceful. It also demands the Syrian government put “an end to all human rights violations and attacks... 

A massive demonstration has shaken the Damascus suburb of Saqba, that has fallen under the control of the Free Syrian Army. RT’s Sara Firth traveled to the rebel-controlled area to explore how the fighters managed to overcome superior forces. ­Clashes between Assad’s armed forces and the Free Syrian Army continue in many parts of the country including the capital. Some Damascus suburbs have seen... 

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov says Moscow will not support a Western-Arab drafted UN Security Council resolution on Syria. Moscow says the new draft, due to be discussed on Friday, does not take into account the Russian position on Syria. The draft proposed by the US, its Western allies as well as... 

A Russian Navy Flotilla A large Russian navy flotilla led by an aircraft carrier has arrived at the Syrian port of Tartus in the Mediterranean Sea, to show Moscow’s solidarity with Damascus. “The port call is aimed at bringing the two countries closer together and strengthening their ties of friendship,” the official SANA news agency quoted a Russian naval officer Yakushin Vladimir... 

Huge pro-government rallies remain unreported Official U.S. intelligence is the true leader of the “Syrian Free Army” The Muslim Brotherhood party, is calling for military intervention…Turkey against Syria, has a militia trained by the U.S. The Egyptian newspaper al-Arabi said on Friday that a colonel in the U.S. with the last name Cleveland is overseeing the operations of training... 

An image grab taken from Syrian state TV on December 23, 2011 shows Syrians carry away a dead body at the site of a suicide attack outside a security service base in Damascus on December 23, 2011 Two suicide car bombs apparently aimed at state security facilities rocked the Syrian capital on Friday leaving at least 40 dead and 100 wounded. The government dubbed the attacks “terrorist operations with...