Hawzah News Agency- Ayatollah Abbas Kaabi shared his insights about the ongoing developments in Syria in an Op-Ed that he shared with Hawzah News in Persian.
Armed opposition forces, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), entered capital Damascus on Sunday, just a few days after launching an offensive in Aleppo. This marked the end of more than five decades of Assad’s rule over Syria.
“The consequences of this event will be far-reaching both regionally and internationally,” Kaabi said, citing the Israeli incursion into southern Syrian regions as one of the consequences.
He went on to name four reasons behind the fall of the Syrian government. The cleric described “the erosion of the Syrian state and military, coupled with fatigue and lack of motivation,” as the first reason.
“Weak resolve and the absence of an operational plan to counter armed opposition forces,” and “Strategic negligence and deception by the U.S. and its regional allies, prioritizing compromise and negotiation over resistance” were the two other reasons mentioned by Kaabi.
He also noted that the Syrian government failed to heed the Islamic Revolution Leader’s warnings that Western powers and their regional allies intended to overthrow Syria's political system through means other than war and consequently exclude the country from regional equations.
‘Empty promises of West’
“This significant defeat for Bashar al-Assad's government stems from misplaced reliance on the empty promises of the West and their regional followers,” he stressed.
Kaabi cited the late leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, noting that Syria had provided support for Lebanon in the 2006 war, which ultimately led to the defeat of the Israeli regime.
“Unfortunately, following Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, the worn-down Syrian government and military succumbed to threats, inducements, and psychological warfare, choosing compromise over resistance. If they had chosen the path of resistance, they would not have been defeated,” he said.
“This loss should not mistakenly be seen as a defeat for the resistance movement or the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said the cleric, noting that resistance has infiltrated deep in the hearts of nations and that the fall of Syrian government can be turned into an opportunity to boost resistance.
“Unfortunately, anti-Iranian and anti-Shia sentiments, the presence of extremist and radical groups among the opposition, and enemy plots against the resistance front and Iran have created bitter misunderstandings. However, through serious, frank, and strategic dialogue with rational supporters of resistance among the new rulers, and with the mediation of groups such as Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and certain regional countries, a new framework could be proposed to ensure the enduring interests of the Syrian people, Islamic resistance, and regional security, he added.
He warned those in power in Syria to take lessons from the fall of Mohammad Morsi’s government in Egypt, noting that he put trust in “deceptive and empty promises of the U.S. and the West.”
“Those now in power in Syria’s new reality must take this warning seriously: never trust the U.S., the West, or the Zionists. None of their promises will be fulfilled, and failure to heed this could lead to the repetition of an American-backed coup or even the fragmentation of Syria.”
Kaabi noted that it is vital to pay attention to the affairs of Muslims, foster the unity of the Islamic community, avoid religious extremism and takfir, and resolve misunderstandings to open a new chapter of Islamic cooperation through coalition-building.
“The Islamic Republic has consistently welcomed any initiative or mechanism that promotes security, stability, progress, justice, dignity, and the interests of the Islamic Ummah,” he said, stressing, “Islamic unity is a life-giving strategy, not a fleeting tactic.”
The cleric also highlighted the need for resistance against the Zionist regime, comprehensive support for the people of Palestine and Gaza, joint efforts to combat Islamophobia, and the defense of human rights.
