NYT: Iranians question value of supporting Assad’s regime

In the wake of Syria’s civil war taking a dramatic turn, the Iranian government is facing unprecedented public criticism over its involvement in the conflict, with many questioning the cost of supporting Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Billions of dollars and the lives of Iranian fighters have been spent in backing the Syrian president, yet the recent downfall of Assad has triggered a fierce backlash across the country, Caliber.Az reports via The New York Times.

Critics now, including conservative voices, are openly expressing disillusionment with Iran's foreign policy, and the topic has dominated media outlets, social platforms, and public forums.

Former lawmaker Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh was among the first to publicly question the value of Iran’s support for Assad, suggesting that Iranians should celebrate the fall of their long-time ally. He argued that the resources spent on Syria had been wasteful and that Iran's involvement had only led to unnecessary losses.

Other critics have echoed these sentiments, even those who fought in Syria or lost relatives in the war, with many asking whether it had been worth the sacrifice.

The criticism has reached the highest levels of discourse. Ebrahim Motaghi, an international relations professor at Tehran University, stated that Iran's ambitions in the region had collapsed with Assad’s fall, reducing the country from a regional power to just another nation in the Middle East. Meanwhile, cleric Mohammad Shariati Dehghan, writing in Ham Mihan, condemned the government's policies as flawed and called for a shift in Iran's foreign strategy—emphasizing alliances over militant support.

Hassan Shemshadi, a prominent analyst close to the government, remarked that public discourse surrounding the Syrian conflict has become a national conversation, with people across Iran questioning the effectiveness and justification of the country’s heavy investment in Syria. Despite official reassurances from President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who have distanced the Iranian state from the ongoing events in Syria, the situation remains politically volatile. Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, has blamed the United States and Israel for Assad's fall, and criticized internal critics, calling their comments “a crime.”

The fall of Assad has significant strategic implications for Iran. For over four decades, Syria has been a key ally, providing Iran with strategic access to supply routes and a base to support militant groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

The collapse of the Assad regime represents a devastating blow to Iran's regional influence and the so-called "axis of resistance." Experts believe Iran’s influence in Syria has now been severely diminished, and officials are privately acknowledging the loss.

Public reaction has extended beyond just media debates, as some families of Iranian soldiers killed in Syria now question the purpose of their loved ones’ sacrifice. For many, the question remains: was the price paid in lives and resources ever justified?

The aftermath of Syria’s changing political landscape poses tough challenges for Iranian diplomacy, as the country now seeks to salvage any remaining influence while facing mounting domestic scrutiny.

By Aghakazim Guliyev