An aerial photo shows a car passing by Syrian army military equipment and abandoned vehicles on the Damascus highway, north of the city of Hama, on Dec. 3, 2024, following the start of the rebel offensive against the Assad regime. (Credit: AFP)
Should this be seen as a message to Russia? In rare remarks reported on Wednesday by the New York Times, Iranian Brigadier General Behrouz Esbati shared comments suggesting a chill in the relationship between Moscow and Tehran: A speech he allegedly delivered on Monday in a mosque in the Iranian capital, the audio of which has been made public in the country's media. After admitting, contrary to the official discourse, that the Islamic Republic suffered "a very severe defeat" in Syria after the fall, at the beginning of December, of the Assad regime it was sponsoring, the general openly criticized Russia, another supporter of the fallen authorities in Damascus.According to him, Moscow misled Tehran by claiming that its planes were bombing Syrian rebels after they began their offensive against loyalist forces, while in...
Should this be seen as a message to Russia? In rare remarks reported on Wednesday by the New York Times, Iranian Brigadier General Behrouz Esbati shared comments suggesting a chill in the relationship between Moscow and Tehran: A speech he allegedly delivered on Monday in a mosque in the Iranian capital, the audio of which has been made public in the country's media. After admitting, contrary to the official discourse, that the Islamic Republic suffered "a very severe defeat" in Syria after the fall, at the beginning of December, of the Assad regime it was sponsoring, the general openly criticized Russia, another supporter of the fallen authorities in Damascus.According to him, Moscow misled Tehran by claiming that its planes were bombing Syrian rebels after they began their offensive against loyalist forces, while in...