Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that Islamist militants pose a regional threat.
Iran will bolster its support for Damascus in its fight against jihadist attacks in Syria, citing the danger these attacks represent to the entire region, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS), an al-Qaeda affiliate, launched a surprise offensive from its Idlib base last week, violating a 2020 ceasefire agreement between Russia and Turkey. HTS militants have seized Aleppo and Hama, displacing over 280,000 people.
“Takfiri terrorist groups have orchestrated a long-term plot to sow instability and violence across the region,” Araghchi stated on Friday following a meeting with his Iraqi and Syrian counterparts in Baghdad.
“Our aim is to enhance collaboration and coordination to support the Syrian government and its people,” he added.
In Baghdad, Iran and Iraq committed to coordinating their policies on Syria. Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani noted the Syrian crisis’s “clear impact” on Iraqi security and the necessity for its containment.
“It’s crucial that we stand together to safeguard Syria’s unity, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens,” Iraqi President Latif Rashid declared.
Earlier this week, Araghchi indicated that Tehran would consider direct military intervention in Syria if requested by Damascus. A senior Iranian official, speaking anonymously to Reuters on Friday, confirmed that Iran has already provided President Bashar Assad’s government with intelligence and satellite imagery.
“It’s likely that Tehran will need to supply military equipment, missiles, and drones to Syria,” another anonymous Iranian official added, mentioning that Iran has already “taken all necessary measures to increase the number of its military advisors in Syria and deploy troops.”
In 2011, militants backed by the US and certain regional actors launched an armed rebellion against Damascus. An al-Qaeda splinter group used the conflict to establish the ‘Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’ (ISIS) in 2014. In 2015, Russia sent troops to Syria at Assad’s request, aiding the government in repelling ISIS and other militants. Iran and the Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah also supported Damascus.
US-backed Kurdish militias played a role in defeating ISIS in northwestern Syria but then refused to rejoin Damascus, retaining control of the country’s agricultural land and oil reserves. Turkey intervened in 2017 to prevent the Syrian army from seizing Idlib province, HTS’s last stronghold. Ankara later pledged its support for a political resolution in Syria.