In brief
In a remarkable shift, Iranian officials and analysts have begun to publicly reassess Iran's ties to the recently ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. Following the collapse of Assad’s regime over the weekend, there has been a swift recognition among Iranian leaders that their support for the tyrant was misguided. They are now emphasizing the need for the Syrian people to determine their own future without foreign interference. President Masoud Pezeshkian underscored this sentiment, stating that all future governance in Syria must be decided by its citizens. Even within state media, there’s an acknowledgment of the miscalculations regarding Assad's popularity. Analysts have cautioned that no government can endure without popular support—a lesson that Iran seems compelled to learn in the wake of such upheaval.
