WANA (Dec 21) – The Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon has reacted strongly to the U.S. condition for supporting a new Syrian government led by armed opposition forces. This condition ties American support to excluding any role for Iran in the process, highlighting deep geopolitical tensions.

 

Mojtaba Amani, Iran’s ambassador to Beirut, addressed the issue in an Arabic message posted on the platform “X” (formerly Twitter). He wrote: “Following the meeting between the U.S. representative and al-Julani, Washington stipulated that the new Syrian government, in order to establish good relations with the U.S., must not grant any role to Iran.”

 

Amani went further, referencing historical instances of U.S. interventions in the region. He added: “I witnessed how, between 2011 and 2013, they insisted on similar recommendations to the Muslim Brotherhood. When they found Mohammad Morsi, the late former president of Egypt, isolated, they made the same condition to him. The time for America’s betrayal had come, and what was bound to happen, happened.” This remark alludes to America’s shifting alliances and its history of abandoning regional allies when no longer deemed useful.

 

Amani’s statement came after the Syrian newspaper Al-Watan reported on a secret meeting between a U.S. delegation and Ahmad al-Shara, also known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, the leader of armed Syrian opposition groups. According to the report, the meeting took place in a luxury hotel in Damascus, a location that itself raises questions about the dynamics of the conflict. The revelation of this meeting has caused significant backlash among various regional and international actors.

 

Following the meeting, Barbara Leaf, Assistant Secretary of State and head of the U.S. delegation to Syria, claimed: “Iran will have no role in Syria, nor should it.” This declaration reinforces Washington’s longstanding policy of seeking to limit Iranian influence in the region.

 

The Iranian ambassador’s response underscores the profound and ongoing tensions between Tehran and Washington regarding Syria’s future. It also highlights what Iran sees as a recurring pattern of U.S. policies—offering temporary partnerships only to turn against allies once strategic objectives are met. By referencing Egypt and Syria, Amani’s remarks seek to warn both regional actors and international observers about the consequences of trusting American guarantees.