Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, addressed what he called the “recent regional developments” in a public speech, breaking his silence on the collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria. Khamenei pointed fingers at the United States and Israel, declaring, “There is no doubt that what happened in Syria was orchestrated in American and Israeli command rooms.”
However, contrary to Khamenei’s claims, global intelligence agencies – including Israeli organizations like the General Intelligence Directorate and Mossad – were reportedly caught off guard by the rebels’ rapid success and Assad’s downfall. Turkey, Tehran and Moscow were equally blindsided by the speed of the regime’s collapse.
During his speech, Khamenei also took aim at an unnamed “neighboring country to Syria,” accusing them of playing a role in Assad’s fall. “Even the neighboring government has had a hand in this, but the main culprits are the U.S. and Israel,” he said. Without elaborating, he added: “There is a nation that played a prominent role in what happened in Syria – and continues to do so.”
Despite the collapse of Assad’s regime, Khamenei maintained that Iran’s regional influence remains intact. “The resistance will now expand across the entire region, stronger than ever before,” he proclaimed. “Those who believed weakening the resistance would weaken Iran fundamentally misunderstand the essence of resistance. Iran is strong and will only grow stronger. The more they fight the resistance, the broader its front will become, encompassing the whole region.”
In an official statement released before Khamenei’s speech, Iran reiterated its commitment to maintaining “friendly” relations with Syria, stating, “Iran and Syria share a long history, and we expect this friendly relationship to continue.”
Blame game erupts in Iran over Assad’s collapse
Even before Khamenei’s speech, Tehran was already embroiled in a heated internal blame game over the rapid collapse of Assad’s regime, which many see as a devastating blow to Iran’s regional axis of power –an influence it had painstakingly built over decades. Within Iran’s security forces, tensions have reached a boiling point. Members of the Revolutionary Guard described the atmosphere as chaotic, filled with mutual accusations and frustration.
“It’s a mix of people yelling at each other, punching walls, kicking over trash cans – everyone is blaming someone else,” a source in Tehran told The Telegraph. “No one is taking responsibility.”
The source explained that Iran’s leadership was completely unprepared for Assad’s departure. “No one ever anticipated Assad would flee. For the past 10 years, our entire focus was on keeping him in power. And it wasn’t because we loved him, but because his presence ensured our proximity to Hezbollah and Israel.”
Iran had invested millions of dollars in propping up Assad’s regime, actively intervening in Syria’s civil war since the mid-2010s. Yet, Assad fled the country just before rebel forces reached Damascus. The rebels’ offensive was launched as a surprise attack, coinciding with a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah – another key pillar of Iran’s regional axis.
“You need people on the ground to send weapons, but they’re either being killed or fleeing,” another Revolutionary Guard source shared. “Right now, everyone is focused on figuring out how to move forward from this deadlock. No one is even talking about weapons anymore; everyone is just trying to make sense of what’s happening and how dangerous this situation is for Iran.”
Some within the Revolutionary Guard have begun directing their anger at Ismail Qaani, the commander of the Quds Force, accusing him of allowing Assad’s army to fall apart. “No one dares to tell him this directly, but he bears responsibility. He didn’t do anything to stop Iran’s interests from collapsing. Our allies are falling one after another, and he’s just watching from Tehran. Worse days may be ahead,” the source warned.
Tehran faces leadership crisis amid defeat
Behind the scenes, Tehran is grappling with an internal crisis. Revolutionary Guard insiders have suggested Supreme Leader Khamenei may be considering replacing Qaani, with growing calls for his removal. The commander has come under increased scrutiny, particularly after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was assassinated. Following Nasrallah’s death, Qaani disappeared for an extended period, leading to speculation that he might have been under investigation.
According to sources, Khamenei has summoned senior commanders several times in recent days as the Syrian rebels advanced toward Damascus. “The situation is bizarre, and heated discussions are taking place. There’s also increasing concern over what to tell Iran’s supporters,” a Revolutionary Guard insider revealed.
For years, Syria has served as a linchpin in Iran’s broader regional strategy, providing a critical corridor for supporting Hezbollah and exerting influence in the Middle East. The sudden collapse of Assad’s regime has dealt a heavy blow to this strategy, leaving Tehran scrambling to reassess its position and navigate the fallout from this unexpected defeat. With its axis of influence unraveling, Iran faces the sobering challenge of rebuilding its regional foothold in the face of mounting adversities.
