HTS appoints Iranian affairs advisor amid efforts to counter Tehran's influence
Shafaq News/ Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the new ruling authority in Syria, has appointed Abdul Rahman Fathi, known for his jihadist sermons, as an advisor on Iranian affairs. This move comes as HTS seeks to establish relations with Sunni communities in Iran to curb Tehran's influence in the region.
According to Iran International, “Fathi, who has a long history of Salafi activism, will play a pivotal role in shaping HTS's strategy towards Iran and Kurdish areas.”
“Also known as Abu Safiya al-Kurdi, Fathi was born in Iran and began his religious studies in the mosques of Mahabad. He later continued his studies in Iraqi Kurdistan under the guidance of Abdul Qadir Tawhidi, a prominent figure in the Tawhid movement for Iranian Sunnis. Tawhidi significantly influenced Fathi's Salafi beliefs.”
Iran International reported that “since joining the Islamic Movement in Kurdistan in the 1990s, Fathi became a prominent figure in Iranian Salafi circles. After returning to Iran in the late 1990s, he became the imam of the village of Ziveh near Mahabad. However, his Salafi views brought him into conflict with Iranian authorities, leading to multiple arrests, the last of which was in 2011, resulting in a three-year imprisonment in Rajai Shahr Prison.”
Fathi left Iran in 2014 and joined “jihadist groups” in Syria, becoming a key figure in the “Iranian Sunni Migrants Movement,” a faction of Iranian Sunnis that pledged allegiance to HTS.
In Idlib, controlled by HTS, Fathi rose to senior positions, serving as a Sharia judge and mufti. Videos show Fathi delivering sermons in Kurdish, praising figures like “former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and condemning Iranian rulers as rejectors.” In these sermons, he vowed to “liberate the Sunnis in Iran from occupation.”
Iran International noted that Fathi's influence among Kurdish jihadists has grown in the region, linking religious authority with political strategy, making him “a central figure in HTS's regional plans.”
The network added that his appointment as an advisor on Iranian affairs “could signal a shift in HTS's strategy towards Iran and Kurdish areas,” as HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani continues to emphasize that “Iran poses a significant threat in Syria.”
