Iran will reopen its embassy in Syria, which was stormed by militants following the fall of Damascus, but the matter is not imminent until the staff's security is ensured, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday.
“I prefer not to use the word ‘imminent'," he said. "This is on the agenda, and as soon as the necessary conditions are met—both in terms of security and politics—we will move forward with reopening the embassy."
Video footage shared on the day President Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow showed militants in the embassy, ransacking documents and vandalizing the facility, with shattered glass and broken furniture seen around the building. Iranian media reported that the staff had fled before it was taken over.
Addressing comments made on Monday by the EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, that Iran and Russia should have no role in Syria's future, Baghaei said: “This is an interesting joke, and I think when she made this comment, she was probably reading history books. The era when foreign powers could dictate to other regions is over.”
Explaining Iran's role in Syria, Baghaei said: “Our presence in Syria was fundamental and principled, and our withdrawal was responsible. We were not seeking expansionism, dominance, or the revival of past empires. What mattered to us in Syria was helping ensure its security in the fight against terrorism.”
Syria, under Assad, was a key component of Iran’s so-called 'Axis of Resistance,' serving as a vital land corridor for supplying weapons and materiel to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Over the years, Israel sought to disrupt this supply line through hundreds of airstrikes.
During the briefing, he also addressed remarks made by several Iranian politicians that Assad government owes approximately $30 to $50 billion to Iran.
He said the number were exaggerated, saying that the debts will be transferred to Syria's new political system based on the principle of state succession. "These figures, such as the claim of a $50 billion debt owed to Iran by Syria, are truly very exaggerated."
As Iran looks to its future after a battered Syria, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will attend the D-8 summit in Egypt, the spokesman confirmed on Tuesday. The summit of the eight major Muslim developing countries, known as the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, will be held on Thursday.
