In an unexpected move, Brig. Gen. Behrouz Esbati has publicly acknowledged Iran's substantial losses in Syria following the recent collapse of the Assad regime. His candid statements, made during a speech last week at a Tehran mosque, stand in stark contrast to the downplaying efforts of other Iranian officials who have insisted that the situation in Syria remains manageable. The recording of Esbati’s speech surfaced on January 8, 2025, highlighting the discrepancies within Iranian leadership regarding the implications of Assad's ouster.
In his address, Esbati did not shy away from the grim reality: “I don’t consider losing Syria something to be proud of. We were defeated, and defeated very badly; we took a very big blow and it’s been very difficult.” Such remarks sharply conflict with the reassuring tones from Iran's president and foreign minister, who have publicly downplayed the significance of Assad's sudden fall from power.
Esbati explained that tensions between Iran and Assad had been escalating for months before the regime's collapse. The Syrian leader had reportedly rejected multiple requests from Iranian-backed militias for operations against Israel, particularly following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. He cited military strategies presented by Iran to Assad as potential avenues to leverage military resources against Israeli targets, which were ultimately rejected.
Additionally, Esbati pointed fingers at Russia, Iran's supposed ally, accusing it of betrayal by providing inaccurate intelligence that contributed to Iranian vulnerabilities. He claimed that Russian forces misled Iran regarding bombing campaigns against Syrian rebels, while also enabling Israeli strikes on Iranian assets in Syria by allegedly shutting down their radar systems.
As the fallout continues from Assad's regime collapse, these revelations by General Esbati mark a significant shift in Iran’s approach and perspective toward its strategic objectives in the region.
