"Iranian general accused Russia of failing to provide support during Assad's regime collapse, stating, 'They actually bombed the desert.'"

Putin and the Russian military deceived both Iran and Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, stated a high-ranking Iranian general and a former advisor to the Syrian dictator.

Russia did not help stop the Syrian rebels when they began capturing cities, although it pretended to assist.

Source. This is reported by Business Insider and The New York Times.

One of the commanders of the Iranian forces, Brigadier General Behrouz Esbati, referenced by the publications, acknowledged the failure of Syrian policy and partially blamed Moscow for the fall of Assad's government. His statements contrast with the official position of the Iranian authorities. Speaking on Monday at a mosque in Tehran, Esbati said:

"We have suffered defeat, and the defeat is very serious. We have been dealt a very strong blow, and it has been very difficult," he said.

At the end of November 2024, thousands of rebel fighters controlling Idlib province launched an offensive against government forces and captured Syria's second-largest city, Aleppo.

At that time, Russian military officials informed their Iranian counterparts that they were bombing the headquarters of the group "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham," which led the offensive, Esbati mentioned in an audio recording cited by the publications.

In reality, according to him, Russian planes were "bombing the desert."

Just 10 days later, opposition forces reached Damascus and overthrew Assad's regime.

Furthermore, Esbati stated that last year Russia "turned off the radars," allowing Israel to strike Iranian targets in Syria.

Former high-ranking official of Assad, Kamel Sakr, commented to the Saudi agency Al Arabiya that Putin halted assistance to Syria at a critical moment.

During a visit to Moscow a few days after the rebels began their offensive, Assad requested Putin to personally approve the air delivery of military aid to Syria, and Putin agreed, Sakr reported on Monday. An Iranian plane was supposed to deliver it, but according to Sakr, Iran received no requests from the Kremlin. When Assad sought clarification from Moscow, "there was no response," Sakr said.

"I do not consider the loss of Syria something to be proud of," emphasized General Esbati.

Esbati is one of the highest-ranking commanders, and in Syria, he led operations of Iranian forces, closely cooperating with local ministers and military, as well as with Russian generals, notes NYT.

Syria expert and prominent Tehran analyst Mehdi Rahmati said in a conversation with the newspaper that Esbati's speech was significant, as it showed that some high-ranking officials are willing to step away from propaganda rhetoric and provide the public with more truthful information:

"Everyone (in Iran) is discussing this speech and asking why the general said these things, especially in a public address. He clearly stated what happened to Iran and the position it is currently in. In a certain sense, this can be a warning for those conducting domestic policy," said the analyst.

Background. Meanwhile, it has been reported that Putin promised Kadyrov control over Wildberries if he helps maintain Russian bases in Syria. Kadyrov is trying to negotiate with the HTS rebels, offering them "any assistance" and urging them to "not succumb to the West."