VOA常速英语:US Says Syria's Assad Turns to Iran to Keep Power

hold onto紧紧抓住; 不卖出
例句：My child holds onto my hand tightly while we cross the street.
横穿马路时, 孩子紧拉着我的手不放。

2. "Clearly the loss of Syria as a logistics platform, a line of communication into Lebanon to support Hezbollah, would be a substantial setback for Iran in its efforts to use Hezbollah as a proxy, and that is indeed why the Revolutionary Guards corps Quds Force is so engaged in trying to prop up Bashar al-Assad right now," Petraeus said.

engage in参加; 从事; 忙于
例句：I have no time to engage in the debate.
我没时间参加辩论。
prop up支持, 资助
例句：The government props up the prices of farm products to support farmers' incomes.
政府保持农产品价格不变以保障农民们的收入。

3.  These are former allies of the Assad regime, and the Assad regime stood up the West and to the United States.

stand up经久耐用; 站得住脚
例句：I'm afraid it won't stand up in court.
我担心这件事在法庭上站不住脚。

4. “If Syria were somehow to slip out of the Iranian column, it would be an enormous blow to Iran's ability to project its influence regionally," said Heydemann.

slip out of从…滑落(或滑掉); (使)从…溜走
例句：The glass slipped out of his hand.
玻璃杯从他的手中滑落。

5. But again, that is only if we imagine that an alternative Syrian government would re-orient Syria's foreign policy.  And I do not think we can take that for granted.

take for granted认为…理所当然, 想当然
例句：We shouldn't take anything for granted.
我们不要认为什么都是理所当然的。

6. It is not only Iran's support for Hezbollah that might suffer from a change of government in Damascus. 

suffer from因(疾病)而痛或不舒服;因...而更糟;受...之苦
例句：She often suffers from headaches.
她常常头痛。