Syrian President Bashar Assad said a military campaign by Russia, Syria and its allies will decide the fate of the Middle East, and a year of US-led air strikes against ISIL militants had only helped the spread of terrorism.

Syrian President Bashar Assad said a military campaign by Russia, Syria and its allies will decide the fate of the Middle East, and a year of US-led air strikes against ISIL militants had only helped the spread of terrorism.

Assad said if Syria, Russia, Iran and Iraq unite in battling terrorism their efforts would yield practical results. “This coalition must succeed; otherwise we will see the destruction of the entire [Middle East] region,” Assad said in an interview with the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, broadcast on Sunday.

“The chances of this alliance's success are big, not small,” Assad indicated.
 
Iraq, Iran, Syria and Russia have formed an intelligence-sharing center in the Iraqi capital in their fight against terrorists wreaking havoc mainly in Syria and Iraq.

“Most countries in the world have felt the real threat of terrorism and most recently numerous remarks have been addressed at international level, indicating support for the aforesaid coalition. Therefore, I think that there are good opportunities for this coalition to succeed,” said Assad.

Assad said the coalition member states, especially Iran and Russia, are well-experienced in combating terrorism.

He said it was not for outside powers to decide Syria's fate. "Discussion of the political system or officials in Syria is an internal Syrian affair," the Syrian presidency's Twitter feed quoted him as saying in the interview.

Russia launched its military campaign against terrorists operating in Syria on September 30 upon a request from the Syrian government.