Iran has stated that the fate of Syria should be decided solely by the Syrian people, with no foreign interference or imposition. This stance comes after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, who was Iran’s key ally in the country.
Iran spent billions of dollars supporting Assad during the Syrian civil war and had deployed its Revolutionary Guards to keep him in power. However, now that Assad is gone, Iran is calling for a national dialogue to form an inclusive government representing all segments of Syrian society.
“We will spare no effort to help establish security and stability in Syria,” said Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson. “We will continue consultations with all influential parties, especially in the region.”
Despite concerns about the safety of Iranian diplomats after a storming at the Tehran embassy in Damascus, Iran expects ties with Syria to continue based on their countries’ “far-sighted and wise approach”.
Iran’s arch-rival, Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, has welcomed Assad’s ousting as a “historic day” resulting from blows dealt by Israel to Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
However, Iranian diplomats reported that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led the rebel advances across western Syria, had guaranteed the sanctity of Shi’ite shrines in the country.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iranian-embassy-stormed-damascus-2024-12-08