Muhammed Anas, Baladi News, Damascus
The former commander of "Muhammed" contingent affiliated to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and former MP in the Iranian parliament, Ismael Kawthari declared his readiness to take part in the fighting in Syria under the pretext of "Defending the shrines of Al-Sayyeda Zayinab and Ahel Al-Bayit" in Syria.
"Fars" news agency reported Kawthari's saying that he is ready and waiting to fight and lead the battles in Syria after completing his mission as a consultant in the Iranian Islamic Consultative Assembly as well as transferring the experiences he gained during the Iranian-Iraqi war in the eighties, where he was the leader of "Mohammed" contingent at the time. It should be noted that Kawthari has served earlier as a chairman of the Defense Committee in the Iranian parliament.
It's increasingly apparent from the media statements that Tehran government will assign him to lead the battles in Syria after losing a large number of its IRGC leaders who were killed at the hands of the rebels' battalions across the country.
The reports about the number of Iranian militants or their mercenaries in Syria are conflicting, but "Aki", the Italian news agency quoting a close source of Hezbollah, estimated the number of militants as eighty thousand, including a military contingent of the Revolutionary Guards.
"Aki" reported the undeclared source saying: " the Iranian crowds in Syria are up to 80 thousand fighters, including a contingent of Iranian Revolutionary Guards that is garrisoning near the city of Aleppo north of Syria, as well as members of Hezbollah along with Iraqi and Afghani militias in more than one area along Syria."
Extensive advertisements had spread in Iran for the first time since the beginning of the Syrian war calling upon Iranian women wishing to volunteer and defend Al-Sayyida Zayinab shrine in Syria to register their names under special conditions in order to approve their request.