This makes it vitally important for a negotiated end to the conflict in Syria.
Russia will be held responsible for the outcome, given that it has vetoed the recent efforts of the United Nations Security Council to place Assad under greater pressure.
While Russia must play a crucial role in any settlement in Syria, if large-scale loss of life is to be avoided Russia will need to put more pressure on President Assad than has been the case to date.
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Iran is another factor in the Syrian conflict. The Assad regime has been a key strategic partner of Iran and has allowed Iran to provide ongoing support to Hezbollah.
There is considerable uncertainty as to how Iran will react to any collapse of the regime in Syria although it is safe to assume that it will not be supportive of any new government that it views as potentially hostile to its interests.
While the fate of the Assad regime and its stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons will be watched closely in coming weeks and months, other nations in the Middle East are taking steps to increase their military capability.
The Government of Saudi Arabia is reportedly negotiating with China to buy ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
This development follows reports that Saudi Arabia has also reached in-principle agreement with the Government of Pakistan for the purchase of one or more nuclear weapons.
If these reports are accurate, it can be assumed that the Saudi Government is taking steps to defend itself against Iran, should that nation develop nuclear weapons.
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The troubling aspect of the Saudi manoeuvre is that if it obtains a nuclear weapon then Iran could seek to justify the open pursuit of an Iranian nuclear weapons program.
It would also make it more difficult for the United States and Israel to justify an attack on the Iranian nuclear facilities if they were simultaneously turning a blind eye to a Saudi Arabian purchase.
The Iranian regime could prevent further escalation of regional tensions by first agreeing to cooperate fully with the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency and dispelling international suspicions about its nuclear program.
There can be no excuse for failing to allow inspectors if, as the Iranians claim, the nuclear program is entirely for peaceful purposes.
Any proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East risks putting the region on a slippery slope towards eventual use.
That would have profound implications for global peace and security throughout the world.
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