Tehran, Iran – Iran says it needs to keep up relations with Syria after the autumn of main ally Bashar al-Assad, however that opposition teams’ method in direction of Israel can be essential.
Tehran has not commented on reviews that it has established a direct line of dialogue with the armed teams that toppled Syria’s ruling family, which was allied with Iran for greater than 40 years.
On Tuesday, authorities spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani referred to as for “respect for Syria’s territorial integrity” and stated the Syrian individuals ought to resolve their very own destiny.
Regarding Iran’s future relations with Syria, she stated, “their distance from the Zionist regime” can be an vital deciding issue.
‘Nationwide pursuits’
Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), advised lawmakers throughout a closed-door assembly within the parliament on Tuesday that no Iranian forces at present stay in Syria.
Arguing that this withdrawal didn’t imply Tehran’s energy had been diminished, the overall stated Iranian forces have been current in Syria till the final moments of al-Assad’s authorities, based on lawmakers current.
Iran had supported al-Assad since Syria’s conflict erupted in 2011, offering him with fighters, weapons and navy recommendation within the type of an IRGC presence that aimed to maintain al-Assad in energy in addition to keep Tehran’s regional “axis of resistance” to Israel and the US.
Authorities spokesperson Mohajerani stated 4,000 Iranian residents had returned dwelling from Syria on board 10 flights organised by closely sanctioned Iranian airline Mahan, since al-Assad’s overthrow.
Requested concerning the large funding Iran made in propping up al-Assad and the way that monetary loss would have an effect on the Iranian individuals, she insisted that the tens of billions of {dollars} Tehran spent have been to help “nationwide pursuits”.
‘Cease the crimes towards Syria’
Earlier than al-Assad fled, Iran’s International Minister Abbas Araghchi repeatedly referred to as the opposition offensive – led by opposition armed group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – an “American-Zionist ploy” aiming to additional destabilise the area amid the fallout of the Israeli conflict on Gaza.
After the opposition teams toppled the regime, the Iranian International Ministry has as an alternative targeted its rhetoric on condemning Israel, saying it’s “making the most of the sophisticated state of affairs in Syria to exacerbate its genocide in Gaza”.
Iran’s statements got here as Israel bombed Syrian infrastructure a whole bunch of occasions since Sunday, hitting at the least 250 targets throughout Syria in a single day on Monday alone in what Israeli media stated was the biggest attack operation ever carried out by its air pressure.
Israel destroyed fighter jets and military helicopters of their air bases, focused navy analysis centres and weapons depots, and attacked Syrian military ships.
Israeli troopers and tanks have additionally taken benefit of the political chaos in Syria to push deep contained in the nation, reaching as shut as 20km (12 miles) to the capital, Damascus.
Israel has continued to assert that its expanding occupation of Syrian soil is just aimed toward making certain its safety since “extremist” parts might take over the border space.
Iran, which backed al-Assad until the last moment, stated in an announcement Monday evening that it could “use all its regional and worldwide capacities to cease the crimes of the Zionist regime towards Syria”, with out elaborating.
Iranian missions broken
Iran on Tuesday additionally wrote a letter to the UN Safety Council to specific grave concern and condemnation of assaults on its embassy in Syria on Sunday after the autumn of al-Assad.
“Amid an escalation of armed teams in Damascus, militants forcibly stormed and assaulted Iran’s embassy, leading to extreme harm, vandalism, theft of archives and paperwork, and destruction,” the Iranian mission wrote.
It stated that on November 29, “armed teams focused the Iranian consulate in Aleppo with short-range shells, endangering consular employees”. The consulate was subsequently “invaded and broken” after the mission needed to be evacuated.
Iran stopped in need of formally blaming the HTS or every other particular group for the actions.
After footage appeared on-line displaying the embassy trashed and huge photos of assassinated leaders Qassem Soleimani and Hassan Nasrallah taken down, Iran’s Araghchi stated it appeared some civilians have been additionally concerned.
It’s unclear if, or when, the Iranian diplomatic missions can be reopened.
