Statement by the Tudeh Party of Iran on the Fall of Bashar al-Assad's Government in Syria

On the morning of 18 Azar [Sunday 8 December], the world's media reported the fall of the Ba'athist government led by Bashar al-Assad in Syria, as their top news story, 11 days on from the launch of the offensive in that country by the takfiri terrorist forces of "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham" [HTS]. 

The news of the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government, roundly welcomed by the imperialist countries, marks a completely new phase and re-drawing of the political landscape in the Middle East.  This event, which was orchestrated with the clear and direct intervention of the military forces of Turkey and Israel with the backing of the imperialist countries, should be seen as part and parcel of the strategy of US imperialism to expand its hegemony over the Middle East region. 

According to reports in the international media, last week, after the escalation in attacks by terrorist groups affiliated with HTS and the fall of major cities in northern Syria, the governments of Russia and the Islamic Republic of Iran decided to withdraw their military forces, diplomatic missions, as well as citizens from the country. 

The "Euronews" network reported:  "Sergey Lavrov announced that the foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, and Iran, agreed at their meeting in Doha, the capital of Qatar, that the 'hostilities' in Syria must be ended immediately.  Mr. Lavrov emphasised that Moscow wishes to witness dialogue between the Syrian government and what it considers to be the 'legitimate opposition' in Syria.  He reiterated that the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham remains a 'terrorist' organisation, regardless of any claims about a change in its stance.  Lavrov stressed that it is 'unacceptable' to allow 'terrorist groups' to take control of Syrian territory." 

In its first reaction to the fall of Bashar al-Assad, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated:  "The determination of the fate of Syria, as well as any decision-making regarding its future, is solely the responsibility of the people of this country, free from any destructive interference or external imposition." 

According to world news agencies, Bashar al-Assad, along with some of his advisers, left Damascus international airport for Russia in the early hours of Sunday 8 December.  And in a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry it was announced that the Syrian president departed having resigned his post following negotiations with a number of "participants in the armed conflict [in the Syrian Arab Republic]" and his issuing of orders for a peaceful transfer of power.  The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasised that it was not involved in the negotiations, but that it maintains contact with "all Syrian opposition groups". 

The capture of Damascus, Syria's capital, not only ended more than five decades of Assad family rule in Syria, but also marked the effective end of the Ba'ath Party's existence [or that of organised Ba'athism] in the Middle East.  The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government, 21 years after the fall of Saddam Hussein, is one of the most significant political developments in the Middle East with profound and far-reaching consequences for the region.  Progressive opposition forces in Syria have highlighted that over the past 13 years, Syria has been subjected to cycles of continuous violence and destruction across the country, which have stalled the implementation of agreements as well as the establishing of "de-escalation zones".  This had led to a near-total "freezing" of the conflict by mid-2019.  Subsequently, a phase of economic erosion began, driven both internally and externally, exacerbated by international sanctions as well as the brutal neoliberal economic policies and fierce domestic repression imposed by the Syrian government. 

With the fall of the ruling regime in Syria in the wake of Israel's continued bloody attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, the Middle East region has been plunged deeper into a profound multifaceted crisis.  The departure of Bashar al-Assad from Syria and the handover of power to terrorist forces - which operated within the framework of ISIS-affiliated forces until 2013 and then under the command of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri until 2016 - could initiate a series of developments aligned with the strategic interests of the US, Israel, and Turkey.  It is notable that the Turkish government has officially supported the forces affiliated with HTS, while the Israeli media has also alluded to specific understandings and mutual interests between the Netanyahu government and HTS. 

The Tudeh Party of Iran is deeply concerned about the consequences of the events of the past few days in Syria, which could lead to greater instability and a potentially catastrophic regional war with very real global implications.  We believe that the developments in Syria have not occurred in a vacuum or removed from the series of developments that stemmed from the events of 15 Mehr 1403 [7 October 2023], including the severe defeat of the regional policies of the Islamic Republic in Iran [and manifest degrading of its capabilities] along with that imposed on its affiliated forces in Gaza and Lebanon.  The reality is that the direct involvement of states such as Israel and Turkey in the current developments has not only worsened the security situation in the region but could also have broader repercussions.  The Syrian people demand the realisation of national sovereignty, democracy, and social justice - demands that an extremely reactionary-jihadi and terrorist force neither has the intention nor capacity to achieve or work towards. 

The Tudeh Party of Iran supports all responsible and principled international calls for a comprehensive political solution to resolve the Syrian crisis.  We also endorse the call of the progressive forces of the region for the immediate implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, in which the solution to the Syrian crisis is based on the vital interests of the Syrian people, and we reaffirm our longstanding and steadfast opposition to any intervention by foreign forces.

The Tudeh Party of Iran

8 December 2024

___________________________________________________________________

For the statements of the Tudeh Party of Iran and its analysis of major developments in Iran Please visit:    www.tudehpartyiran.org