In a surprising turn of events, Brig. Gen. Behrouz Esbati, Iran's top military official in Syria, openly admitted to a substantial loss following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad. His statements, contrasting sharply with the more optimistic rhetoric from Iran's leadership, highlight the significant setbacks faced by Tehran in the region. Esbati's speech, which surfaced in Iranian media, revealed that relations between Iran and Assad had been deteriorating prior to his fall, as Assad resisted calls for Iranian-backed militias to launch operations against Israel.
He pointed out that Iran had crafted extensive military strategies aimed at utilizing its resources to target Israel from Syrian territory. Furthermore, the general criticized Russia for misleading Iran about bombing campaigns against Syrian rebels, suggesting that Moscow had facilitated Israeli strikes against Iranian assets in Syria by disabling radar systems. Esbati's remarks underscore the internal divisions within Iran’s leadership regarding the country’s military engagements in Syria and its broader strategic interests in the region.
