IRAN’S FOREIGN POLICY IN SYRIA BEFORE AND AFTER LIBERATION FROM THE ASSAD REGIME

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of Iran’s foreign policy in Syria from the onset of its intervention in 2011 through the collapse of the Assad regime in late 2024 and the subsequent emergence of a new Syrian leadership under President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Framed within the theoretical lenses of realism, strategic depth, and ideological statecraft, the study explores Iran’s evolving motivations, methods, and objectives throughout the Syrian conflict and its aftermath. Initially, Iran’s support for the Assad regime was driven by a blend of geostrategic imperatives—securing a land corridor to Lebanon and Israel’s borders—and ideological commitments to the Axis of Resistance. Tehran deployed IRGC advisors, mobilized transnational Shia militias, and provided billions of dollars in aid to preserve Assad’s rule, all while embedding itself in Syria’s economic and religious infrastructure. However, the unexpected collapse of Assad’s government in a swift 2024 rebel offensive marked a strategic catastrophe for Iran, eliminating a cornerstone of its regional influence. The study details Iran’s immediate withdrawal, the loss of military and diplomatic footholds, and the internal political fallout in Tehran. In the post-Assad period, Iran adopted a pragmatic, damage-control approach—seeking limited engagement with Syria’s new leadership, reframing its rhetoric, and attempting to salvage its influence through indirect means. The article further examines the regional realignments triggered by Iran’s exit from Syria, including shifts in Turkish, Israeli, and Gulf policies, and assesses how Iran’s strategic calculus may evolve in response. Ultimately, the research concludes that Iran’s foreign policy in Syria illustrates the limits of ideological interventionism when confronted with popular resistance, shifting power dynamics, and overextension. The case offers critical insights into the constraints of regional hegemony and the adaptability of Iranian statecraft in the face of geopolitical upheaval.