BALADI NEWS
Russian military police last week reportedly carried out a raid against Iranian-backed militiamen stationed at Syria's Aleppo international airport, local media reported.
In the aftermath, several Iranian militia leaders were arrested in what was seen as the latest episode of tensions between Iranian and Russian forces in Syria.
Since the beginning of Syria's civil war in 2011, Russia and Iran have built a strong military presence in the country in support of forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Iran has since deployed thousands of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and allied Shiite militias to Syria, while Russia officially entered the Syrian conflict in September 2015 to help Assad's regime.
But as the war is waning, with Syrian regime forces reclaiming most of the territory once controlled by rebel forces, Russia and Iran seem to be vying for influence in the war-torn country.
Analysts say the protracted war in Syria has created a slight fissure between the two allies.
"There are definite tensions that exist between Russia and Iran within Syria," said Phillip Smyth, a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who closely follows Iranian-backed militias in Syria.
"You see things like this [raid in Aleppo] that occur in flashpoint zones because there's criminal activity going on. Each country's proxy wants a cut of that," he said.
The strategic partnership between Russia and Iran in Syria goes beyond such disagreements, especially since Russia is still dependent on Iranian forces to hold territory and to provide manpower for Syrian regime troops, some experts say.
Some analysts believe that, unlike when they became involved in Syria's war, Russian and Iranian forces now control larger territories and both countries are searching for economic opportunities in the country.
In 2018, Russia was awarded exclusive rights to produce Syria's oil and gas. Russia has also signed a contract to use the Syrian port of Tartus for 49 years, while Iran won a bid to partially use the port of Latakia.
Both countries want to economically monopolize Syria for the long term because they each have given sizable loans to the Syrian regime throughout the war, economist Hemo said.
"I believe this type of competition will continue in Syria, but eventually Russia's economic dominance will prevail," he added.
Source: The Voice of America.