Syrian politics is dominated by the Ba'ath-led National Progressive Front. The Syrian Steadfastness Party (Hizb al-Sumud al-Suri) is an interesting case of a very minor political party established during the civil war. On 25 June 2019 I interviewed Adnan Muhammad Saleh, who is the secretary general of the Syrian Steadfastness Party.

Q: When was the party established and what is its manhaj in summary? How does the manhaj differ from the manhaj of the Ba'ath Party for example?

A: The party was established on 10 June 2016. As for the difference of the party manhaj from the Ba'ath party, there is no difference in manhaj. Rather the difference is in application of the manhaj. For we drink from the thought of the eternal leader Hafez al-Assad.

Q: Why was the party established when there are many parties in Syria? Why does the Syrian homeland need the Syrian Steadfastness Party?

A: As for why we need the Steadfastness Party in Syria: because we want to prove to the world that we have not deviated on the path and we remain on our patriotic principles and our thought and creed.

Q: Has the party formed auxiliary forces for the Syrian Arab Army?

A: The party has offered around 14 martyrs and many wounded and we have never formed auxiliary forces because we are in all simplicity Syrians and this is an error that you ask a question like this. We have been and continue to fight with the soldiers of God: our heroic army.

Q: Is the party licensed by the Syrian government? What are the main activities of the party on the ground currently? What are the party's greatest accomplishments?

A: The party until now is in the process of being licensed and we are working on the ground so we do not need agreement if we want to honour the families of our martyrs and our wounded or establish a discussion symposium or patriotic cultural meeting or thought seminar. These are our accomplishments on the ground. We are interested in the humanitarian social aspect. As for the political aspect, we all have faith in the direction and wisdom of the aster of the homeland and his wise policy however difficult the circumstances become.

Q: You mean Mr. President Dr. Bashar al-Assad?

A: Of course I mean the glad tidings of God: the master of the homeland, the president of the Republic.

Q: How do you assess the situation in Syria today?

A: The situation in our Syria is very good my friend and no country can bear the conspiracy our precious Syria has borne whether external or internal.

Q: Sometimes it is said that Syria needs 'reform': in your opinion does Syria need reform and what type of reform exactly?

A: When we speak of reform, we must begin with the person because the person is the object of life and the starting point of life. Thus we learnt in the school of the eternal leader Hafez al-Assad and when we reform the person, you can reform a homeland and build a homeland that is invincible and strong, which no force can defeat.

I finally convey my salam and regards to the resisting heroic Iraqi army and victory is for us. Soon we will extirpate the roots of terrorism from our precious Iraq and our beloved Syria, with the finest regards and thanks to you.