Syrian rebels storm Iranian embassy, rip banner of Assad's allies
What's the story
Syrian rebels have stormed the Iranian embassy after seizing control of Damascus, according to Iran's English-language Press TV. Footage shared on social media showed a banner of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and slain Iranian Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani being damaged by a mob. Earlier in the day, the Islamist-led rebels declared the fall of Tehran ally and President Bashar al-Assad after a massive onslaught that culminated in Damascus, Syria.
Embassy
Details of the attack remain awaited
Details of the attack remain awaited, but Iran's foreign ministry on Saturday categorically denied reports suggesting that it is evacuating its embassy staff from Damascus. The New York Times had reported that due to the escalating violence in Syria, evacuations were ordered at the Iranian Embassy in Damascus. The report suggested that some personnel were allegedly returning to Tehran, while others were traveling by land to Lebanon, Iraq, and Latakia.
Twitter Post
Alleged visuals from Damascus
#BREAKING Iran’s embassy in Damascus is being stormed by protesters
— Guy Elster (@guyelster) December 8, 2024
pic.twitter.com/0PYznrFQTw
Denial issued
Iran's Foreign Ministry dismisses evacuation claims
Esmail Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, dismissed these claims as "baseless." He emphasized that no such evacuations are taking place and said in an interview that "Iran's embassy in Damascus remains operational and continues with its routine activities." This was further supported by Iranian parliamentarian Yaghoub Rezazadeh, who noted that there are currently more than 10,000 Iranians in Syria.
Rebels
HTS entered Damascus on Sunday
Syrian opposition fighters, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), entered Damascus on Sunday after their major advance across Syria, including the capture of major cities like Homs, Aleppo, and Hama in just days. The rebels said Damascus was "now free" of President al-Assad, who is nowhere to be seen, and no official statement has been issued by the Syrian government. Iranian forces, who were defending Assad's regime, have also mostly evacuated Syria, United States officials said.