Iran Claims 'American-Zionist plot' Fuels Jihadists' Offensive in Syria
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated that the resurgence of terrorism in Syria is directly linked to the actions of the US and Israel. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A former US official has stated that the terrorist group rampaging through the country is “an asset” of Washington.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the US and Israel of fueling the resurgence of Salafist terrorism in Syria. He emphasized that Tehran will back the Syrian government’s efforts to combat the ongoing jihadist offensive.
On Wednesday, Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS), previously known as Jabhat al-Nusra, launched attacks on government-controlled areas in northern Syria, alongside various allied militias, thereby violating a fragile truce forged by Russia and Türkiye in 2020. By Friday, HTS fighters had advanced into Aleppo, which had remained under Syrian government control since 2016.
In a telephone conversation with his Syrian counterpart, Bassam al-Sabbagh, on Friday, Araghchi characterized the offensive as “an American-Zionist” conspiracy. As reported by Iran’s PressTV, he pointed out that this attack coincided with Israel's ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah in Lebanon, insinuating that Washington and West Jerusalem are utilizing HTS as proxies to undermine the Syrian government, which supports the Palestinian cause.
Araghchi affirmed to al-Sabbagh that Iran will persist in aiding the “Syrian government, nation, and army towards fighting terrorism and protecting regional security and stability,” as paraphrased by PressTV.
Before its rebranding in 2017, Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham was known as Jabhat al-Nusra. The group, which was indirectly supported by the US and allegedly backed by Türkiye, was a primary faction opposing the regime of Bashar Assad during the Syrian Civil War. Russia’s intervention in the conflict in 2015 significantly assisted Damascus in reclaiming large areas of the country from Jabhat al-Nusra, the Islamic State, and numerous armed groups Washington labeled as “moderate rebels.”
Iran has also played a critical role in supporting the Syrian government against jihadists, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps providing arms and training to the Syrian Army and deploying thousands of military advisers and volunteers to support Assad’s forces in combat.
While the US concentrated on defeating IS fighters in Syria, it openly supported other anti-Assad militias and covertly backed jihadist factions. Despite the US offering a $10 million bounty for the leader of Al-Qaeda in Syria in 2013, current National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who was then a State Department official, had communicated to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that “AQ [Al Qaeda] is on our side in Syria.”
Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the commander of Al-Qaeda in Syria, severed ties with the organization in 2016 and later led HTS. In a 2021 interview, former US Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey described HTS as “an asset” to American strategy in Syria, declaring that supporting the jihadist leader was “the least bad option” for preventing Idlib from falling under Syrian government control.
Although the US formally designates al-Jolani as a ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorist’ and has linked his group to numerous human rights violations, al-Jolani maintains that HTS “does not represent a threat” to Western interests.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the US and Israel of fueling the resurgence of Salafist terrorism in Syria. He emphasized that Tehran will back the Syrian government’s efforts to combat the ongoing jihadist offensive.
On Wednesday, Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS), previously known as Jabhat al-Nusra, launched attacks on government-controlled areas in northern Syria, alongside various allied militias, thereby violating a fragile truce forged by Russia and Türkiye in 2020. By Friday, HTS fighters had advanced into Aleppo, which had remained under Syrian government control since 2016.
In a telephone conversation with his Syrian counterpart, Bassam al-Sabbagh, on Friday, Araghchi characterized the offensive as “an American-Zionist” conspiracy. As reported by Iran’s PressTV, he pointed out that this attack coincided with Israel's ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah in Lebanon, insinuating that Washington and West Jerusalem are utilizing HTS as proxies to undermine the Syrian government, which supports the Palestinian cause.
Araghchi affirmed to al-Sabbagh that Iran will persist in aiding the “Syrian government, nation, and army towards fighting terrorism and protecting regional security and stability,” as paraphrased by PressTV.
Before its rebranding in 2017, Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham was known as Jabhat al-Nusra. The group, which was indirectly supported by the US and allegedly backed by Türkiye, was a primary faction opposing the regime of Bashar Assad during the Syrian Civil War. Russia’s intervention in the conflict in 2015 significantly assisted Damascus in reclaiming large areas of the country from Jabhat al-Nusra, the Islamic State, and numerous armed groups Washington labeled as “moderate rebels.”
Iran has also played a critical role in supporting the Syrian government against jihadists, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps providing arms and training to the Syrian Army and deploying thousands of military advisers and volunteers to support Assad’s forces in combat.
While the US concentrated on defeating IS fighters in Syria, it openly supported other anti-Assad militias and covertly backed jihadist factions. Despite the US offering a $10 million bounty for the leader of Al-Qaeda in Syria in 2013, current National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who was then a State Department official, had communicated to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that “AQ [Al Qaeda] is on our side in Syria.”
Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the commander of Al-Qaeda in Syria, severed ties with the organization in 2016 and later led HTS. In a 2021 interview, former US Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey described HTS as “an asset” to American strategy in Syria, declaring that supporting the jihadist leader was “the least bad option” for preventing Idlib from falling under Syrian government control.
Although the US formally designates al-Jolani as a ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorist’ and has linked his group to numerous human rights violations, al-Jolani maintains that HTS “does not represent a threat” to Western interests.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
