Iran's leader blames US, Israel for Assad's fall, shifts tone toward Syrian groups

In his first reaction after rebels toppled Syria's government, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech Wednesday that the U.S. and Israel were behind the fall of former President Bashar Assad.

Downplaying the effects of losing a long-term ally, he said that the resistance front -- a term for groups in Syria as well as Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq mostly funded by Iran to fight against Israel -- will still "encompass" the whole region despite Assad's fall.

While sustaining his usual firm stance against the U.S. and glorifying the axis of resistance, Khamenei maintained an ambiguous tone when he addressed the Islamist group, Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which ousted Assad, and other fighting groups in Syria.

"Each of these fighters has a purpose. Their goals are different," he said, not clarifying Iran's stance toward them. However, he added that "the zealous Syrian youth" will liberate Syria if any group seeks to seize Syria's territory.

Iranian officials and state media commentators have been subtly shifting their language regarding HTS since they ousted Assad over the weekend. Officials who often would refer to the opposition of Syria's former president as "terrorists" or "rebels" before his fall, now use terms like "armed groups" or simply "groups" to talk about HTS -- an attempt to downplay the groups' former ties to al-Qaeda and ISIS.

As the new shift is being noticed by people inside Iran, a video is being shared on Iranian group chats showing a state TV reporter who corrects himself in the middle of a live report. While talking about HTS, he swiftly tweaks his language in the middle of the word "terrorist" and changes it to the "armed group."

The Iranian leader did not use the term "terrorist" about HTS or other groups in Syria in his speech Wednesday.

Islamic Republic authorities repeatedly stated since the fall of Assad that they maintain contact with all active parties involved in Syria. They reiterated that the country's involvement with Assad's regime was in the "advisory" capacity and at the request of the country's government, and they never played a role in Syria's internal conflicts.

One state media commentator said Iran is waiting to figure out which direction HTS might take -- whether the group aligns with the Muslim Brotherhood and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party or whether it gravitates toward Salafi jihadis like al-Qaeda. If the former, they say Iran might be able to build ties.

However, the "extent of distance from Israel" was described as an "important indicator" for Iran to define its position toward the new rulers in Syria, as the Iranian government spokeswoman, Fatemeh Mohajerani, said Tuesday. While she warned about any disrespect against the holy shrines and diplomatic places, Mohajerani said Iran's approach would be one of dialogue with all countries.

Calling on regional countries for "effective mobilization of forces" to stop Israel's recent attacks on Syria, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi showed that while Islamic Republic stance towards new Syrian rulers might remain flexible for now, what has not changed is the mutual arch-foe relationship between the Islamic Republic and Israel.

In a post on his X account, Araghchi said that "Israeli regime has moved to destroy almost every defense-related as well as civilian infrastructure in Syria."

He added, "It is critical for the countries of the region to immediately and effectively mobilize and join forces to stop Israel's aggression and the destruction of Syria."