By Eric Vandenbroeck and co-workers

Iran Putting Up a Brave Face

Following the chaos that broke in Syria Iran has sought to put a brave face on the sudden overthrow of its Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad, insisting it will continue to confront the US and Israel in the region even after evacuating thousands of its citizens during the rebel takeover of Damascus.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, said on Wednesday in his first comments since the defeat of the regime in Syria that Iran’s “resistance front” of allies across the Middle East would “grow stronger under pressure” and “extend its reach over the entire region.”

But Tehran has also acknowledged evacuating its citizens from Syria in the face of the Islamist rebel advance. “Over 4,000 Iranian citizens have been flown back home from Syria aboard 10 Mahan Air flights in the past three days,” said government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani, adding that the foreign ministry would ensure the evacuation of every last Iranian citizen.

It is unclear if the evacuees include Iranian pilgrims, diplomats or military personnel stationed in Syria. Esmaeil Baghaei of the foreign ministry said earlier that Iranian diplomats had all been safely withdrawn from Iran’s embassy in Damascus before the building was attacked.

Khamenei noted that Iranian forces were on an “advisory” mission in Syria and could not fight instead of the Syrian army, whose feebleness he blamed for the speedy downfall of the regime. “The troubles Syria is experiencing today is the result of its army showing weakness and losing its steadfastness and resilience.”

Analysts see Assad’s fall as a severe blow for the regional influence that Iran has nurtured over the past four decades through proxies and supporters eager to confront both Israel and the US. Syria was used by Iran as a supply route to aid and fund Hizbollah in Lebanon, Shia militias in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen.

Iran’s military forces and facilities, stationed in Syria for many years, were often targeted by Israeli air strikes during the past year. Israel has also assassinated Hizbollah leaders and targeted the group’s weapons stocks and infrastructure ahead of a ceasefire agreed last month.

Russia, the other crucial international supporter of the Assad regime, has also been shocked by his defeat and has granted asylum to the deposed leader. For years Moscow was Assad’s main military supporter, attacking rebels with its warplanes until days before their final victory. The Kremlin has now withdrawn its forces from parts of Syria but has so far maintained its main air and naval bases on the Mediterranean.

On Wednesday, Iran rejected reports that $42mn of cash had been stolen from its embassy in Damascus after video footage emerged of assailants looting the building on Sunday. It said all contingency plans had been taken before evacuation.

Outside the ransacked Iranian embassy in Damascus on December 9, 2024.

Khamenei warned against suggestions that Iran itself would be weakened by events in Syria and Lebanon. “Iran is powerful and will grow more powerful,” he said, warning that “using commentaries or analyses to dishearten the people is an offence”.

Tehran is cautiously examining how to deal with Syria’s new rulers, and two former Iranian lawmakers have raised concerns about Syria’s debts to Iran, which they said amounted to billions of dollars.

Khamenei, however, seems to be hoping the situation will eventually turn in favor of Tehran.

“Some celebrating in Damascus and seizing people’s houses, or the Zionist regime bombing targets in Syria . . . this will not last long,” he said. “The Syrian youth will rise up and turn around the situation.” He did nevertheless admit that this could take a long time.

Assad fall furthermore is huge blow to Putin, highlighting the fragility of his own rule

Assad’s flight to Moscow following the swift collapse of his regime means more than just the loss of a client state for the Kremlin.

The fall of the House of Assad deals a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aspirations as a Middle East power broker and raises new questions about the fragility of his regime.

For observers of Russia’s war on Ukraine, Assad’s departure raises some striking historical parallels.

Assad now joins a onetime Ukrainian counterpart in exile: Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych fled Ukraine for Russia in 2014 after weeks of street protests that culminated in a bloody crackdown.

And unlike Assad, whose forces appeared to surrender Damascus without a fight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held fast as Russian troops approached Kyiv.

Whereby Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has blamed the fall of the Assad regime on the US and Israel.

In his first address since the toppling of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei excoriated the United States and Israel.

“The main plotter, the main planner, the main agent, the main command room is in the United States and the Zionist regime,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday to a crowd of hundreds packed into a Tehran hall to hear his address.

 

 

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