The Latest Development Alexander Lavrentiev, the Russian special envoy to Syria, indicated Aug. 1 that the Iranian forces who had helped the Syrian government overcome pockets of rebel and Islamic State resistance near the Israeli border would be moving their heavy weapons at least 85 kilometers (52.8 miles) from the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. But the announcement did little to mollify Israel, which has called the buffer zone insufficient and continues to push Russia to pressure Iran into leaving Syria altogether. Why It Matters The Russians have long been building connections to both Israel and Iran, seeking to capitalize on their position as a diplomatic great power by virtue of their intervention in Syria. But there are limits to how much Russia can do. While the Iranian pullback will cut down the risk of short-range attacks on Israel, that is not the only challenge that the Israelis see coming from Iran.