February 21-2014
A hardline Iranian website run by Iranian University Student News has published a list of 15 names it says are Iranians killed while fighting rebels in Syria. The list included their photos, dates of death and burial sites. There was no way to confirm the accuracy of the list. Iran has acknowledged sending “advisers” to Syria but denies sending any combat troops, and US officials generally believe that is true. The government has acknowledged the deaths of a few senior Pasdar officers. There is no discussion in the media of the propriety of Iran’s commitment to Syria, where the Pasdaran runs policy. Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif recently told US Secretary of State John Kerry he was not authorized to even discuss Syria.