Iran has started evacuating senior IRGC commanders, other officials from Syria — NYT

Iran has started evacuating military commanders and other Iranian officials from Syria, the New York Times reports, as the Syrian government comes under increasing pressure from advancing rebel forces.

Citing regional and Iranian officials, the report says among those who have been moved out of Syria are senior commanders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, some diplomats and their families, and civilians, with the evacuations beginning Friday morning.

The US newspaper also reports that some of the officials left by Tehran via plane, while others departed by land for Lebanon, Iraq and the Syrian port city of Latakia.(Read More)