Syrian ambassador dismisses reports of seeking refuge in Russia updated

Syrian Ambassador to Russia Bashar al-Jaafari has dismissed reports claiming he requested political asylum, calling them completely false and expressing surprise at their emergence.

The speculation followed claims from unnamed sources that the ambassador had applied for asylum and did not intend to return to Damascus, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

According to one source, the request was expected to be considered by Russian authorities. However, al-Jaafari firmly denied making any such request during a phone conversation, stating, “That news is absolutely untrue. I’m surprised where such a report came from.”

The Syrian Foreign Ministry recently announced plans to replace its ambassador in Moscow. Al-Jaafari had held the post since October 2022, prior to the fall of the Assad government in December 2024. Following the regime’s collapse, Bashar al-Assad was granted asylum in Russia.

Reports indicate that al-Jaafari was instructed to step down and return to Damascus. A source familiar with the matter said members of the Syrian diaspora had pressed for his removal. Though al-Jaafari had previously defended Assad’s administration, he is said to have shifted his stance following the change in leadership.

In March, Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa reportedly urged Russia to extradite Assad. The Kremlin, meanwhile, reaffirmed its support for efforts to stabilize Syria in the interest of preserving its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. Earlier this year, President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with al-Sharaa to discuss the situation.

20:05 (April 14)

Syria’s Ambassador to Moscow, Bashar Jaafari, has officially requested asylum in the Russian Federation, in a move signaling a serious rupture within the upper echelons of the Syrian government.

“The Syrian ambassador has requested asylum in Russia,” a source confirmed, without providing further details on the context or reasoning behind the request, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

The development follows earlier reports that Jaafari had been recalled to Damascus as part of a reshuffle at Syria’s diplomatic mission in Moscow. The Syrian government has not yet issued an official statement regarding either his recall or the asylum request.

Bashar Jaafari, a veteran diplomat and Syria’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, was appointed ambassador to Russia in 2022. His asylum request, if formally accepted, would mark a significant and unexpected shift in Syria-Russia diplomatic relations, potentially reflecting deeper fractures within the Syrian regime.

According to sources from Al Arabiya and Al Hadath, Jaafari, along with his family, has already been granted asylum in Russia after the Syrian Foreign Ministry summoned him back to Damascus. The same sources suggest Jaafari is likely to reject the directive from Syria’s Foreign Ministry—an act that underscores the depth of his discontent with the current political leadership in Damascus.

This move has been interpreted by analysts as evidence of a growing internal crisis in Syria. Jaafari’s refusal to return home and his decision to risk his diplomatic career instead of complying with orders from the central administration illustrate “serious fractures within the ruling establishment and fear among key figures about their fate if they return home.”

In an earlier statement made in December 2024 from Moscow, Jaafari stunned observers by declaring, “Syria was never under a real government, but under a corrupt mafia system that mortgaged the country for its own interests.” These remarks represent a dramatic shift from his previous role as a staunch defender of the Assad government in international forums.

Sources note that Jaafari had increasingly distanced himself from the regime’s actions, allegedly blaming what he called “the system’s mafia-like governance” for Syria’s continued decline. His public criticism may have placed him in political jeopardy, compelling him to seek asylum as a protective measure.

He also previously stated that “Syria belongs to all its people,” expressing confidence in the nation’s ability to recover from years of turmoil. However, observers have noted the contradiction in his stance, given his decision to remain outside Syria—a move that raises questions about his true political motives and the extent of internal dissent within the Assad administration.

By Vafa Guliyeva / Tamilla Hasanova