Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday (Dec 6) warned that the recent rebel offensive in Syria against President Bashar al-Assad could threaten the stability of the entire Middle East.
Speaking to reporters in Baghdad, Araghchi said, “If Syria becomes a safe place for terrorists with the return of ISIS and other terrorist groups, it will create a great threat to the region,” referring to the Islamic State group.
Iran’s top diplomat reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to supporting Syria, saying, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always supported Syria and will continue to do so with all its might and with whatever is needed and requested by the Syrian government.”
The situation in Syria has escalated as anti-government rebels made further gains. On Friday, rebels advanced into Homs, Syria’s third-largest city, continuing their push against the Syrian president’s forces. This came after their capture of Hama on Thursday, a key city to the north, after Syrian troops withdrew. These developments come just a week after rebels captured the second city of Aleppo, dealing a major blow to the Syrian government.
Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist militant group leading the offensive, declared “victory” in Hama, adding that there would be “no revenge.” The coalition of rebel groups led by HTS launched this large-scale offensive last week, making it one of the largest offensive against the Syrian government in years.
Meanwhile, the United States-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have made their own advances in eastern Syria. Reports indicate they have seized control of the city of Deir al-Zour and a key border crossing between Syria and Iran.
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(With inputs from agencies)