Iran pursues wait-and-see approach in Syria as it copes with Assad's downfall
With one of its key regional allies gone, the Iranian establishment is anxiously reviewing its policy in an uncertain Syrian landscape.
TEHRAN — A wait-and-see approach has dominated messaging from Tehran in the wake of the Syrian government's collapse triggered by the lightning rebel takeover of the country over the weekend.
Iran's government spokesperson, Fatemeh Mohajerani, told a press briefing on Tuesday that Tehran needs to see some "minimum stability" in Syria before effectively engaging with the its new establishment.
The fall of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad has meant the loss of a major regional ally for the Islamic Republic, which saw the Syrian leader as a vital link in its "Axis of Resistance," a regional project bringing together Tehran's proxy militias in the struggle against its sworn enemy, Israel.
After the outbreak of the popular uprising that shook Assad's rule in 2011, Iran dispatched military forces to shore him up, an engagement that multiplied as the country swiftly descended into a bloody civil war.
