Iran has begun evacuating its military leadership and personnel from Syria. Such a move may signal Tehran’s inability to effectively help President Bashar al-Assad hold on to power in the face of an intensifying offensive by insurgents. About this informs The New York Times.
As noted in the message, the evacuation began on Friday morning. The senior commanders of the Quds Force, the external unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), have already been transferred. These commanders, along with some military personnel, diplomats, their family members and civilians, were evacuated to neighboring Iraq and Lebanon.
The operation covers the removal of people from the Iranian embassy in Damascus and the IRGC bases in Syria. Some of the evacuees are transported by air to Tehran, and the rest move by land routes to Lebanon, Iraq or through the port of Latakia.
“Tehran is starting to evacuate its forces and military personnel because we cannot fight as an advisory and support force if the Syrian army does not want to fight itself.”— emphasizes Iranian analyst Mehdi Rahmati
The message emphasizes the delicacy of the situation. Such actions by Iran indicate a major change in its strategy towards Syria. Such developments could mean a significant reduction in Iranian influence in the region and increased internal and external challenges for President Bashar al-Assad.
