Iran’s top military official in Syria, Brig. Gen. Behrouz Esbati, recently admitted that Iran had suffered a significant defeat with the fall of its ally, Syria's Bashar Assad.
In a candid speech at a Tehran mosque last week, Esbati criticized both Assad and Russia while outlining Iran’s plans to maintain influence in Syria.
An audio recording of Esbati’s remarks, published by Abdi Media on Monday, directly contradicted statements by Iran’s leadership, which downplayed the strategic loss.
“We were defeated and defeated very badly,” Esbati said. He described strained relations with Assad, claiming that the Syrian leader had rejected Iranian proposals to launch attacks on Israel from Syria following Hamas’s Oct. 7 incursion.
Esbati accused Russia of misleading Iran, claiming Russian forces bombed empty fields instead of targeting Syrian rebels and failed to shield Iranian assets from Israeli strikes.
For over a decade, Iran supported Assad militarily, using Syria as a hub to arm regional proxies like Hezbollah. However, with Assad’s ouster, a coalition of anti-regime forces now controls much of Syria.
Despite the loss, Esbati said that Iran would seek to influence Syria’s new order by leveraging its established networks. “We can activate all the networks we have worked with over the years,” he said, hinting at social media campaigns and the formation of resistance cells.
Esbati blamed Assad’s downfall on corruption, repression and economic hardships, suggesting that Assad ignored repeated warnings to reform.
The feasibility of Iran’s plans in Syria, however, remains uncertain. Public and political opposition to Iranian influence in Syria, combined with Israel’s warnings of severe retaliation against Iranian activities, poses significant obstacles.
The New York Times cited an anonymous Revolutionary Guards source saying that Esbati’s comments might be aspirational, aimed at bolstering morale among conservatives pushing for more aggressive action.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has downplayed the loss, asserting that Syrian youth would reclaim their country. Meanwhile, President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have advocated for stability and diplomatic ties with Syria’s new government.
In response to the fallout, Iranian officials launched a public relations campaign, holding discussions to address concerns about the loss in Syria.
However, Esbati’s speech, delivered at the Valiasr mosque in Tehran, marked a rare moment of openness, with the general openly addressing questions about Iran’s military strategy and its limited capacity for direct confrontation with Israel and the U.S.
While Esbati reassured his audience of Iran’s regional strength, his acknowledgment of setbacks highlighted the regime’s precarious position in Syria’s evolving political landscape.
