As’ad Hassan al-Sheibani, Syria’s new foreign minister, on Monday, December 23, warned the Iranian regime to refrain from creating and spreading chaos in Syria. This is the most explicit public warning from Syria’s new rulers to the Iranian regime since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, concerning Tehran’s approach to developments in Syria.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of Tahrir al-Sham, which now holds power in Syria, had previously criticized the Iranian regime’s actions in the country, accusing its military presence and proxy groups supporting Bashar al-Assad’s government of causing the deaths and displacement of millions of Syrian citizens.
However, this is the first time the new Syrian officials have openly responded to statements by Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Iranian regime, and other Iranian officials opposing Tahrir al-Sham and the ongoing developments in Syria.
As’ad Hassan al-Sheibani wrote in a post on the social media platform X: “Iran must respect the will of the Syrian people, the sovereignty, and the security of this country. We warn them to refrain from creating chaos in Syria, and we also hold them responsible for the consequences of their recent statements.”
On Sunday, December 22, the Iranian regime’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, in a speech to a group of eulogists, said: “We predict that a strong and honorable collective will also emerge in Syria, as today Syrian youth have nothing to lose; their schools, universities, homes, and streets are unsafe. Therefore, they must stand with strong resolve against those who plan and execute insecurity and overcome them.”
Earlier, on December 11, he had stated: “Everyone should know that things will not remain as they are, with groups attacking homes in Damascus and the Zionist regime advancing with bombardments, artillery, and tanks. Brave Syrian youth will surely rise and, by resisting, even at the cost of casualties, will overcome this situation, just as the courageous Iraqi youth, with the help, organization, and leadership of our dear martyr (Qasem Soleimani), managed to expel the enemy from their homes and streets. This task in Syria may take a long time, but the outcome is certain and definite.”
In contrast, Ahmed al-Sharaa, without addressing the future of Damascus-Tehran relations, repeatedly criticized the Iranian regime’s performance and military presence in Syria. In an interview with Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, published on December 20, he said that by overthrowing Bashar al-Assad’s government, the opposition had set the Iranian regime’s regional project back by 40 years.
He stated that under Assad, “Syria had become a platform for Iran to control key Arab capitals, expand wars, and destabilize the Gulf with narcotics like Captagon.”
Following Ali Khamenei’s speeches, other military officials and government-affiliated media in Iran intensified their attacks on the ongoing developments in Syria, especially targeting Tahrir al-Sham and Ahmed al-Sharaa, even labeling him as “Jewish and affiliated with Israel.”
On December 23, Esmail Baqai, the regime’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, stated in a press conference that the Iranian regime has still been unable to establish a direct communication channel with the new Syrian rulers.
The Iranian regime’s embassy in Damascus, the only diplomatic facility remaining in Syria, was attacked by rebel forces on December 8, following Bashar al-Assad’s escape to Russia.
