There is only one person who gives the orders : one person who is the president , '' Fares said . A U.S. official says defector 's claims about al Qaeda cooperation are `` consistent '' Nawaf al-Fares , former Syrian ambassador to Iraq , is the highest-ranking diplomatic defector . `` I tried to convince the regime ... to change its treatment of the people , '' he says . The United States has been trying for years to get Syria and Iran together in a coalition against Islamic State militants who have taken over large parts of both countries.
A U.S. official says defector 's claims about al Qaeda cooperation are `` consistent '' Nawaf al-Fares , former Syrian ambassador to Iraq , is the highest-ranking diplomatic defector . `` I tried to convince the regime ... to change its treatment of the people , '' he says . The United States has been trying for years to get Syria and Iran together in a coalition against Islamic State militants who have taken over large parts of both countries.