Leaked intelligence has revealed a clandestine Iranian operation aimed at assassinating Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, in a bid to regain Tehran’s waning influence over Damascus, multiple news sources have reported. These include Dubai-based Al Mashhad, Turkish newspaper Türkiye Gazetesi, and Arabic news outlet Rai Al-Youm.
According to these reports, the plan was allegedly devised in Najaf, Iraq, during a secret meeting that included high-ranking Iranian officials, former Syrian regime officers, and regional militia leaders. The former commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Major General Hossein Akbari, reportedly led the meeting, accompanied by IRGC commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh and other top Iranian intelligence operatives.
The leaked intelligence indicates that Tehran aimed to orchestrate a military coup in Syria with the assistance of Hezbollah, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and even elements of ISIS. The assassination of Al-Sharaa was a key component of this plan, intended to create chaos and provide justification for deeper Iranian military intervention.
📝 ÖZEL || Necef’te hain darbe toplantısı!
▪️ Tahran, Suriye’nin intikamını almak için harekete geçti. İranlı generaller ile Esad’ın komutanları Irak’ta gizlice buluştu.
▪️ Toplantıda, Suriye Cumhurbaşkanı Ahmed Şara’ya suikast planlandığı öğrenildi.
▪️ Hizbullah ve Haşdi… pic.twitter.com/TRoW5zlq2r
— Türkiye Gazetesi (@turkiyegazetesi) February 11, 2025
Reports from Rai Al-Youm further reveal that the Iranian delegation promised logistical support, weapons, and fighters to Syrian officers willing to cooperate. Plans included destabilization efforts in key regions such as Sweida, Latakia, Tartus, Homs, Raqqa, Hasakah, and Deir ez-Zor, where ethnic and sectarian tensions could be exploited to Iran’s advantage. The report also suggests that Iranian officials planned to smuggle in fighters from Afghan and Pakistani Shiite militias, including the Zainabiyoun and Fatemiyoun brigades.
Additionally, Hezbollah and PMF operatives have been tasked with establishing underground cells, securing arms depots, and orchestrating acts of sabotage. Reports indicate that a faction within the former Syrian regime, including top ex-military officials such as Major General Asaad Ali and Brigadier General Adil Serhan, participated in the Najaf meeting and expressed support for the coup.
With the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, the regime in Iran suffered a significant strategic setback, losing direct control over key military and economic corridors in Syria. Analysts argue that Tehran views the Al-Sharaa administration as a threat to its long-standing presence in the country, particularly after recent crackdowns on Iran-backed militias and a shift in Damascus’ foreign policy away from Tehran’s orbit.
Another dimension of the Iranian strategy appears to be fomenting internal conflict in Syria by leveraging existing tensions among different ethnic and sectarian communities. According to intelligence leaks, Iran intends to provoke armed uprisings in Druze-majority areas and Alawite strongholds, while simultaneously reinforcing its influence in key coastal regions via Hezbollah-controlled networks.
#Iran News: Iranian Arms Smuggling to #Hezbollah Disrupted Amid Growing Tensions in Syriahttps://t.co/TI6ivQvm3O
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) January 27, 2025
If confirmed, these revelations could escalate tensions in the Middle East, drawing international condemnation and potential retaliatory measures against Tehran. The Al-Sharaa administration has yet to issue an official response, but government sources have previously accused Iran of attempting to undermine Syria’s stability.
Meanwhile, intelligence agencies from Western and Arab nations are reportedly monitoring Iran’s movements closely as fears of renewed conflict in Syria grow. Reports suggest that Turkey, which has been increasing its influence in northern Syria, may also respond to the Iranian plot, potentially shifting the geopolitical balance in the region.