Iran Warns of Regional Instability if Syria"s Insecurity Persists

Baghaei described the continued presence of external actors, including the United States, as a major destabilizing factor.

Photo: IRNA

Iran has issued a warning that continued insecurity in Syria could have wide-reaching consequences, further destabilizing the entire region.

In a press briefing in Tehran on Monday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said external influences in Syria exacerbate the situation, not acknowledging the influence Iran has wielded since the civil war of 2011, The Caspian Post reports, citing Iranian media.

“Any insecurity in Syria will not remain confined to that country,” Baghaei said. Meanwhile, Russia has also had a profound influence in the country since the civil war, as the countries all vie for power.

Baghaei described the continued presence of external actors, including the United States, as a major destabilizing factor.

“The US presence in Syria is an act of aggression that has only fueled the resurgence of terrorist activity,” he said.

The comments follow Syria's most significant rebel offensive in years. Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist militant group, led an operation that seized large portions of Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city. The offensive also extended into neighboring Hama province, marking the Assad government's most significant territorial loss in years. The government is backed by Iran and Russia.

In response, Syrian forces, supported by Russian airstrikes, launched a counteroffensive to reclaim the lost territories. The Russian defense ministry confirmed that its air force had been targeting rebel positions, describing the situation as the most substantial challenge to Syrian government forces in recent years.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reaffirmed Russia's support for Bashar al-Assad during his routine Monday morning press conference.

At least 25 people were killed in northwestern Syria in airstrikes conducted by the Syrian government and Russia, according to the White Helmets, a rescue service operating in opposition-held areas, early Monday.

Military sources reported that Russian and Syrian jets targeted the rebel-held city of Idlib on Sunday.