Iran is recruiting thousands of Afghan refugees living in Iran and inside Afghanistan to join the Syrian regime, an Iranian ally, in war. In exchange, the Iranian government promises legal status and cash to the refugees’ families. Roughly 3 million Afghan refugees live in Iran currently; most are undocumented.
Iran and it’s regional allies (Syria, Iraq, Hezbollah, Houthis) are the only real check on Saudi Arabia and it’s radical Sunni minions like ISIS, the Taliban and the various Sunni ‘rebels’ in Syria.
Without Iranian/Shia intervention Assad and Iraqi govt
forces would have fallen and ISIS, al Qaeda and other jihadi ‘rebels’ would be vastly stronger.
In so far Iran indeed has been a stabilizing force in the region. The true forces of instability are Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey. Israel in it’s desire to see Iran and Assad weakened have played a destabilizing role in the Syrian war, too.
Again... Israeli priorities are not equal to what US security priorities should be. The threat facing the US and the whole civilized world are thr Sunni jihadist nourished by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey. Not Shia militia fighting these Sunni jihadis.
Putin knows this and so far has acted accordingly.
Hopefully Trump won’t let himself pushed and taled into another diastrous decision that he criticized in the case of Iraq/Lybia/Syria.
I doubt the number is that large. If they had 25,000 men to use as cannon fodder the Syrian advance would be going a lot faster.
Interesting the Persians use AfPak Shiites as cannon fodder and not their own people.
Yet another of obama’s reliable moslem allies.