US and Israel ‘coordinating’ jihadist offensive in Syria – Iran

The terrorists’ foreign backers aim to weaken the country and sow sedition across the region, Tehran claims

The jihadist offensive in Syria was launched in coordination with the US and Israel, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Monday. According to the diplomat, it is no coincidence that the terrorists attacked northern Syria right after Israel struck a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah.

The Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra), along with allied militias, launched an assault on government-controlled territory in northern Syria last Wednesday. The jihadists seized a number of villages and towns in Aleppo, Idlib, and Hama provinces, and entered the city of Aleppo on Friday.

The initial offensive started on the same day the long-negotiated ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese-based militant group Hezbollah took effect. West Jerusalem reluctantly agreed to the ceasefire earlier in the week, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to “respond forcefully” to any violations on the part of Hezbollah.

“The concurrence of the recent developments in Syria with the ceasefire in Lebanon, and the statements of the American officials in this regard, indicate the existence of some kind of coordination and cooperation between the terrorists, the US, and the Zionist regime,” Baghaei said at a press briefing.

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The official suggested that Washington and West Jerusalem were using the attack to “weaken Syria” and “create division and sedition among Islamic countries.” According to Baghaei, Washington has long been assisting militant groups operating in the country, while Israel is “the party that benefits the most from the developments in Syria.”

The diplomat urged “all Islamic countries” to recognize the “threat posed by the Zionist regime” and join forces in resisting its actions.

Last week’s attack effectively broke the truce between the Syrian government and the militants, which was mediated by Russia and Türkiye in 2020. According to Baghaei, Tehran is currently working with regional powers to try and restore the deal. He noted that it could be done through the Astana Process, which was launched in 2017 to resolve the Syrian civil war and later to support the country in its post-war restoration, led by Türkiye, Russia, and Iran.

“Everyone acknowledges that the Astana Process has been the most stable and successful mechanism related to crisis control in Syria in recent years. [It] is still alive,” he stated, noting that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is currently on a trip to Türkiye to discuss ways to ease the current escalation.

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Previously, Araghchi also accused the US and Israel of being responsible for the resurgence of terrorism in Syria, calling last week’s offensive “an American-Zionist” plot. He suggested that Washington and West Jerusalem are using HTS as a proxy to strike a blow against the Syrian government, which supports Palestine.

The US has long supported anti-Assad militias in Syria, including HTS. In a 2021 interview, former US special representative for Syria engagement James Jeffrey described the group as “an asset” to American strategy in Syria.