Syria pulls some strings in Iran

[FarCenter]

By Sami Moubayed

DAMASCUS - There were many layers to the groundbreaking "thank-you" from French President Nicolas Sarkozy to Syria, after Damascus this week helped free Nazak Afshar, a French-Iranian citizen, from captivity in Tehran.

Afshar was arrested on charges of participating in a move to stage a "soft" revolution in Iran after the elections in June that saw President Mahmud Ahmadinejad win a second four-year term. Afshar worked at the cultural service of the French Embassy in Tehran and was caught up in the massive street demonstrations that broke out when loyalists to losing presidential candidate Mir-Hussein Mousavi claimed the elections were rigged.

Although no specific details were given on how Syria and several European Union (EU) countries helped orchestrate the deal, there are several indicators on how Damascus used its considerable influence in Tehran to bring smiles to the faces of top Paris officials.

Sarkozy credited France's EU partners and other countries, specifically naming former French colony Syria as one "who provided their support". A French presidency statement also called for the release of a French woman, Clotilde Reiss, a teacher who is still being held on more serious spying charges. Iranian authorities have said they want Reiss to remain in the country until there is a verdict in her trial.

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