Security
Failed Syria gambit leaves Iranian regime financially depleted, vulnerable
Tehran's gamble in Syria ends in catastrophe as Bashar al-Assad's fall exposes the IRGC's military failures and leaves it with billions in losses.
![An Iranian flag lies on the ground in front of the Islamic Republic's embassy in Damascus on December 9, 2024, a day after Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was ousted in a lightning offensive. [Louai Beshara/AFP]](/gc3/images/2025/01/07/48710-iran-flag-damascus-370_237.webp)
By Pishtaz |
Leaked Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) documents show Iran is facing its gravest strategic crisis in decades following the Syrian regime's collapse, with the loss of a key ally and billions in squandered military investments.
Internal IRGC reports and intelligence assessments reveal that the Iranian regime's Syrian intervention severely depleted Tehran's military and economic resources while failing to keep Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in power.
Over the course of a decade, the IRGC deployed thousands of fighters and commanders in Syria, with 200 killed in combat operations between January and October 2024 alone, according to Iran Focus.
The deployment severely drained Iranian military capabilities, creating vulnerabilities in the regime's regional and domestic security network, as the financial toll of the intervention reached staggering proportions.
Leaked Iranian foreign ministry documents reveal that Syria owes Iran approximately $50 billion in aid and oil credit, including $11 billion in oil supplies provided between 2012 and 2021, according to Iran International.
Intelligence sources suggest these figures represent only a fraction of Iran's total investment, with billions more spent on military operations and support infrastructure.
Rifts within IRGC
The failed Syria strategy has created deep rifts within the IRGC leadership, the Telegraph reported, with senior officials publicly trading blame over their failure to protect Iranian interests.
IRGC Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani faces criticism for alleged inaction as the Syrian regime was toppled, while multiple sources report increasing dissent within the IRGC's ranks.
Beyond Iran's borders, elements of Lebanese Hizbullah have grown increasingly disillusioned, accusing their Iranian supervisors of treating them as replaceable "cannon fodder," according to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
This deteriorating relationship further weakens the Iranian regime's regional and domestic authority, as its costly -- and now failed -- military campaign continues to spark public anger within Iran, where 30% of the population lives in poverty.
Former Iranian MP Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh captured public sentiment in a viral social media post celebrating al-Assad's fall, declaring "No one will be able to waste Iran's dollars for maintaining a spiderweb anymore."
The collapse of the Syrian regime effectively writes off billions in Iranian investment and closes a crucial economic corridor for sanctions evasion.
And the crisis continues to deepen, with Center for Strategic and International Studies senior adviser Norman Roule telling the Wall Street Journal it "represents a strategic blow of historic proportions."
Now that Iran is under oil sanctions, and oil buyers, especially China, are not giving Iran dollars from oil sales under the pretext of sanctions, wouldn't it be better for the Ministry of Oil to consider barter and purchase solar panels from China, so that at least the real needs of the people are met? This is the question.
This nonsense comes from the sick minds of the enemies of Islam, Iran, and the IRGC. The author of this nonsense should definitely change his source. This is the end of buying dope from motorbikes at the crossroads of Tel Aviv or the Albanian camp.
The article was good.
A smear campaign to target Iran.
Unfortunately, the work of media outlets like yours is to smear and spread slander. You will not calm down until you change Iran to a country like Libya or Syria. Realize that Iran will not become Syria, Libya, or Afghanistan. You will definitely take this wish to the grave.
Please write an article about the Los Angeles fires, explaining that if billions of American tax dollars had not been given to Israel and so much money had not been given to Ukraine, and instead they had strengthened firefighting infrastructure, all this devastation in Los Angeles would not have occurred.
This campaign of yours has become outdated for us. You are thinking of causing conflicts between us. Living in a dream world, biting off more than they can chew. OK, think of dividing our country. Shut your filthy mouths.
What does war mean? What good does it do to the people? People are frustrated. Economic poverty has driven the country to ruin, so much so that people are in need of food. Now, let's move on. Some people are doing well. They get paid from several sources. So what will happen to the rest? Should people go and beg? A nation that has had the civilization of Cyrus the Great for 5,000 years. There is nothing left of this country. Stop it. The Islamic Republic does not care about the people. It cares about strengthening its own position. The Iranian people are the most downtrodden people on the planet. Wake up, people. Those who are still on the side of this government, wake up. The mullahs would never give people anything. Long live the Pahlavi dynasty. I would give my life for dear Arya Mehr, long live Shah. For ever.
I know when flood is coming, we should stop it way before it reaches our city. Iran did this. Because common sense says so. Now, if an ignorant person destroys the flood's path, we cannot say that our work was wrong and we spent a lot of money in vain. So Iran's work in Syria was right. Now some people don't want to understand, which is their problem.
You don't leave the messages I sent for everyone to see???? You delete them????
After 46 years, it's surprising that some people are still making claims in defense of the system's 100% failure rate.
Whoever eats bread from his own labor. If a nobody rules the village, the farmer must beg for alms. Whoever is not wise, will suffer the consequences of what they have done. Whoever is wise, they’ll be protected in the course of time.
If, in the author's opinion, it is wrong for another government to help maintain the remnants of a government, then why is this question not asked by them of the United States, which spends hundreds of billions of dollars of American people's money on Israel and provides it with weapons of mass destruction to kill civilians and civilian targets?
If they had spent this money on the Iranian people, we wouldn't be regretting it now. At least the oppressed people would have your back now, much better than wandering Assad who took it all.
It was good.
Very good, interesting.
I'm just saying why the Iranian people are living a miserable life in poverty. And our system has become more catholic than Pope in favor of foreign countries. Give 50 percent of this money to the people to help them get out of poverty. Then they will be always backing the system and the government.
Iran does not need to use proxy countries. Thank God, it is strong and will become stronger.
Why does this have to happen? I am an Iranian from the lower class, meaning class 1 to 3. Why is my wife suffering from pancreatic cancer? Why don't they reach me? Don’t Iran's natural resource belong to me as an Iranian. I am happy to be a Muslim, but what good is it when you are poor? What should I do?
You should also write many articles about America's blatant escape from Afghanistan, the coming to power of a government in Iraq that is in favor of Iran, the refusal to accept the disbandment of the Popular Mobilization Forces, the upcoming defeat of America in Ukraine, and the billions of dollars of wasted American spending in the region. You dirty opportunist who play whatever side pays.
The earth will be inherited by My righteous servants
This article was not very neutral and clearly supported the opposition to the Iranian government.
The truth has been told and you have to take it.
Well
In order to be a regional superpower to support oppressed nations we must spend money; just as America spends money on its military arm, the occupying regime (Israel).
It should be noted that according to God's tradition, investment using forbidden wealth combined with injustice is never fruitful and always leads to failure. Peace be upon you.
Excuse me, but you still don't know the IRGC. Don't you know that we need the IRGC and the members, and we owe them. May God pardon us for any unmet duties or rights owed to them?