Conflicting statements between the leadership of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the Foreign Ministry regarding Syria

Nearly two months after the fall of the Syrian regime, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, issued a statement on the new situation in Syria, indicating that the situation won’t remain the same.

These statements were made by the commander of the IRGC, Hossein Salami, during a press conference held on Monday, February 3, where he indicated that “there are certain factors that led to some of the successes achieved by the enemies in Syria, but the situation won’t remain the same”.

The IRGC’s statements coincided with a different position issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, where its spokesman, Esmail Baqaei, confirmed Tehran’s support for any government that enjoys the support of the Syrian people, in response to the appointment of Ahmed al Sharaa as president of Syria in the transitional phase.

Baghaei added that Iran is closely following developments in Syria, expressing his hope that the transitional phase will lead to the formation of an inclusive government that represents all segments of Syrian society.

Regarding mediation efforts between Tehran and Damascus by Iraq and Qatar, Baghaei stressed that relations are subject to several considerations and require specific conditions.

He added that Iran makes its decisions carefully and thoughtfully, noting that the exchange of messages between friendly countries isn’t unusual.

After the fall of the Assad regime, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that it’s difficult to judge developments in Syria, as there are many factors influencing the future of the country.

In another context, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei described the fall of Assad as chaos, butting the blame on the Syrian rebels!

In contrast, the Foreign Minister of the Syrian Interim Government, Asaad Hassan al Sheibani, warned Iran against attempts to spread chaos in Syria, stressing the need to respect the will of the Syrian people and the sovereignty of the country.

Sheibani also held Iran responsible for the repercussions resulting from its statements about Syria.

Despite the great support that Iran provided to the former Syrian regime, both politically and militarily, its role gradually diminished after the Gaza War in October 2023, as a result of the repeated targeting of Iranian leaders in Syria by Israel, until its role ended with the fall of the regime.