There have been four long years of war. Almost a quarter of a million people dead. Millions more displaced. More rebel groups and ISIL fighters are infiltrating and taking territory. The future of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, is increasingly in question. Assad welcomed Iran’s foreign minister on Wednesday. After signing a landmark nuclear deal with world powers, what is Javad Zarif doing in Damascus? The visit by the major ally of the Syrian leadership follows increased diplomatic efforts; Russia, the United States and several Middle Eastern powers are all trying to find a way to end Syria’s conflict. Presenter: Shiulie Ghosh Guests: Radwan Ziadeh : Executive Director, Syrian Center for Political and Strategic Studies. Arron Reza Merat: Iran analyst for the Economist Intelligence Unit. Christopher Swift , from the Center for National Security Law at the University of Virginia. Source: Al Jazeera