Brigadier General Behrouz Esbati of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has publicly criticized Russia for its role in Syria and admitted Iran suffered a significant defeat with the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government. Speaking in Tehran, Esbati accused Moscow of misleading Tehran about its military operations and partially blamed Russia for Assad’s ousting, which occurred in December following a rebel offensive led by the group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Esbati alleged that Russian forces claimed to be targeting HTS headquarters but instead bombed unpopulated desert areas. He also accused Russia of disabling radar systems during Israeli strikes on Iranian assets in Syria, which he said allowed Israel to attack more effectively. Russia’s inaction, he argued, weakened Assad’s regime and contributed to Iran’s inability to respond effectively.

Additionally, Esbati criticized internal corruption within Assad’s administration, citing widespread bribery among top officials and military leaders as a major factor in the regime’s collapse.

The general revealed that relations between Tehran and Damascus had grown tense prior to Assad’s fall. He claimed Assad repeatedly rejected Iranian requests to use Syrian territory to launch attacks on Israel, even after Hamas’s large-scale assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. 

Esbati described the loss of Syria as a severe blow to Iran, which had invested heavily in propping up Assad during Syria’s 13-year civil war. Iran had maintained numerous bases, deployed IRGC commanders, and supported proxy groups in Syria to expand its regional influence. With Assad’s ousting, Iran has lost much of its operational infrastructure in the country.