Iran: No rush to restore ties with Syria
Shafaq News – Tehran
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that Tehran is not “in a hurry” to reestablish formal ties with Syria, but remains committed to maintaining friendship with the Syrian people.
Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, speaking at his weekly press briefing, stressed that the suspension of relations between the two countries, which share a long history of cooperation, should not be seen as permanent.
“Iran considers itself a friend of the Syrian people and believes that the future of this country must be decided with respect for the rights of all communities,” Baqaei said, adding that Tehran would resume relations “whenever it is seen that friendship with Iran serves the interests of the Syrian people.”
Earlier, FM Abbas Araghchi stated that his country’s approach to Syria is “not based on slogans or superficial changes but on actions,” emphasizing that Iran’s engagement with Damascus depends on the conduct of the Syrian leadership.
Araghchi also reiterated Tehran’s rejection of any foreign interference in Syria’s internal affairs. “The Syrian people are the final decision-makers as the true rulers of their country, and our role is limited to helping them make the right choices so that we may see Syria at peace and living in harmony with its neighbors.”
Iran and Syria have been strategic allies since the 1980s, a partnership that deepened after the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in 2011, when Tehran provided political, financial, and military backing to President Bashar al-Assad. Iranian advisors and allied groups such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah played a central role in sustaining Al-Assad’s rule despite widespread opposition and international isolation.
However, relations with Syria’s new transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, remain cautious. Al-Sharaa, a former leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has repeatedly criticized Iran’s previous role in Syria during the past decade while pledging to safeguard the country’s independence.
