Mitt Romney is not particularly new to gaffes but when it comes to one about the relationship between Syria and Iran, he has shown extraordinary courage in repeating it at least six times just in the past year.

During last night's foreign policy debate, Romney said: "Syria is Iran's only ally in the Arab world. It's their route to the sea."

In fact, Iran, a close ally of Bashar al-Assad's regime, has direct access to international waters through its large coastline on the Gulf and is not even a neighbour to Syria in order to rely on it as a route to the sea.

Instead, Syria gives Iran a physical access to Lebanon and its Hezbollah militia which is strategically important for Tehran leaders because of the group's geographical position in respect to Israel.

It is not the first time that governor Romney has referred to Syria as a country that provides Iran with a route to the sea.

In March, Romney made the exact gaffe at AIPAC conference.

"Maybe one of the few bright spots in the Middle East developments in the last year has been the rising of the people in Syria against Assad. Obviously, as you know, Syria is Iran's only Arab ally in the region. Syria is the route that allows Iran to supply Hezbollah with weapons in Lebanon. Syria is Iran's route to the sea," he said, according to the Washington Post, which fact-checked his remarks back then.

The US presidential candidate has also previously repeated the reference including in a CNN presidential primary debate in Arizona in February. "Syria is their key ally. It's their only ally in the Arab world. It is also their route to the sea," he said at the time.

Last night's mention prompted many users to react on social networking websites such as Twitter. Here are some of the reactions:

Wow. Romney calls Syria "Iran's route to the sea." Here is a relevant map: maps.google.com/maps?q=map+of+… — John Green (@realjohngreen) October 23, 2012

and:

After Obama dressed him down over size of Navy, #Romney looked sick. After saying Syria is Iran's link to the sea, #Romney looked stupid. — Alan Eggleston (@AlanEggleston) October 23, 2012

and:

and:

Iran doesn't need a "route to the sea". It has it's own coast line, and Syria and Iran don't border each other. #romney #debates — Dave Malouf (@daveixd) October 23, 2012

Despite the prominence of Iran in the US presidential debates, Iranian media have devoted a scant coverage to the country's election. However, many Iranians are watching it anxiously amid fears that a victory by Mitt Romney could significantly increases the possibility of an Israeli military strike against the regime's nuclear facilities.

Romney is viewed in the Islamic republic as more sympathetic to the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, and his "red lines" over Tehran's nuclear activities than Barack Obama.

Iranian state agencies are reporting the developments of Obama-Romney campaigns but with little commentary.

Iranian officials, however, have tried to conceal the concerns, claiming that the country would be immune regardless of the results.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking among reporters in New York during a visit to the UN general assembly in September, refused to show support to either candidates.

"We do believe that the US elections are a domestic issue and we will not get in the middle of that at all," he responded to a journalist's question, according to an account of the meeting on the website of the Foreign Policy magazine. "I believe the people of the US are not a war-seeking people."

Speaker of the Iranian parliament, Ali Larijani, said a Romney win would not be a threat. In Larinaji's view, the governor's support for Israel's possible attack amounted to little more than campaign rhetoric.

"It is political systems in the US which make decisions, not individuals," he told the FT in an interview in September. "Mr Obama swept to power and made promises which were not followed by actions. So, I do not think significant changes can happen."