Al-Sarrawy: Mullahs’ turbaned man and Shiism dynamo in eastern Syria

Ali Ragab

Iran has been recruiting loyalists in Syria, especially Deir ez-Zur, to pave the way for its devious scheme and spread Shi’ism, one of these recruits is Abdulmajeed al-Sarrawy.

According to observers, Tehran relies heavily on Sarrawy in converting the governorate to a Shiite city that is only loyal to the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

Abdulmajeed bin Saleh al-Sarrawy, 50, claims he descends from Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of Prophet Muhammad.

Iran has a scheme to change the identity of Arab Deir ez-Zur tribes to secure the roads to Tehran, Baghdad and the Mediterranean, as Deir ez-Zur lies at the Iraqi borders and oversees Al Bukamal crossing that is being controlled by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Shiite militias from both Iraq and Syria.

Since Daesh got kicked out from Deir ez-Zur in 2017, Iran, through its arms, has relied on seducing the population with services, education and health projects, by opening clinics and small hospitals for soldiers and members of its militias, which civilians are allowed to attend for free.

Al-Sarrawy is one of Iran’s most highlighted “turbaned” in Deir ez-Zur. He managed to attract hundreds of citizens and convert them to Shiism through all the Iranian financial facilities and grants.

Daesh once controlled the territory stretching from western Syria to eastern Iraq. It imposed its brutal rule on almost eight million people, generating billions of dollars in revenue from oil, extortion, robbery and kidnapping. And now, Iran wants in.

Despite the demise of its physical caliphate, Daesh remains a battle-hardened and well-disciplined force whose “enduring defeat” is not assured.

On the other hand, Iran is aware of the magnitude of the challenges in this region, and it has sought to build social relationships with the clans in Al-Bukamal.

Iran has also relied on tribal figures with the aim of getting a larger base in the countryside, as they understand the influence these figure have in their environs.

Al-Sarrawy also seeks to establish a Hawzah, a seminary, in Deir ez-Zur, with an aim to continue the Iranian scheme in the country.