South Syria truce to allay Jordan, Israel fears about Iran
A truce in southern Syria, brokered by the U.S. and Russia, is meant to help allay growing concerns by neighboring Jordan and Israel about Iranian military ambitions in the area.
This includes fears that Tehran plans to establish a long-term presence close to Jordanian and Israeli lines.
Apprehensions were stoked by recent movements of Iranian proxy militias fighting alongside Syrian government troops toward Jordan's border with Syria.
The cease-fire starts at noon Sunday. It is meant to keep all forces pinned to their current positions, preventing among other things further advances by forces under Iran's command.
A Jordanian official said Saturday that the truce is to be monitored through satellite and drone images, as well as observers on the ground. Russia is to deploy military police.
