Iran's patience wanes as Assad loses grip on power
President Bashar al-Assad of Syria has not inspired confidence among his allies recently, and none of them came to his aid when opposition forces launched a swift attack. Weakened by a confrontation with Israel, Iran did not send additional forces to support the dictator's regime, reports "The Moscow Times".
When Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Damascus last week, Assad stated that his "retreat from Aleppo was tactical and that he remained in control," reports "The Moscow Times," citing an anonymous source in the Iranian government.
Araghchi reportedly said that Tehran is no longer able to send him troops. "But we did not expect the collapse to come so quickly or expose such hollowness in his regime. This came as a shock to us, too."
Analyst Saeed Laylaz, close to the Iranian government, cited by "The Moscow Times," stated:
Allies abandoned al-Assad. "He has become a burden"
Assad had become more of a liability than an ally, which means his time had run out. Defending him was no longer justifiable, even if it marked a major setback for Iran. Continuing to support him simply didn’t make sense and would have had unaffordable costs, he said.
In Tehran, they began to look at Assad with more suspicion. "Assad turned away from us when we needed him the most", says a source in "The Financial Times", cited by "The Moscow Times".
For more than a year, it was clear his time had passed. He had become an obstacle, a liability — some even called him a betrayer. His inaction cost us dearly, and he aligned himself with regional actors who promised him a future that never materialised, he adds.
Assad also began establishing contacts with Arab countries, such as the UAE, in hopes of help in rebuilding the economy. However, most former allies distanced themselves from Iran, analysts and politicians claim.
