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An audio file of Brigadier General Behrouz Esbati, a senior IRGC commander, has sparked widespread coverage in Iranian state media. Despite the regime’s infamous censorship, the file remains unremoved more than 72 hours after its release. These remarks strategically deflect blame onto external players like Russia and Assad, effectively concealing the true cause of the regime’s catastrophic loss in Syria: the meltdown and collapse of the IRGC’s operational capabilities. This narrative spin seeks to mask Tehran’s deep internal failures and the crumbling foundation of its military apparatus.
Unsurprisingly, some Western media outlets appear to have uncritically echoed the regime’s narrative, aligning their coverage with Tehran’s agenda and inadvertently amplifying its propaganda.
The audio, published on Didar News—a platform often used by the clerical regime to air controlled “criticism”—features Esbati, the head of the regime’s Cyber Space Operations Base of the Armed Forces General Staff, making unprecedented admissions.
Esbati accused Russia of undermining Iran’s position in Syria. “Russia was one of the main causes of Syria’s collapse,” he said in the audio, widely cited by Setareh Sobh on January 11. He alleged that during critical Israeli airstrikes, “Russian radars were deliberately turned off, acting entirely in line with Zionist interests.”
#Iran News: IRGC Commander Admits Defeat in #Syria, Blames Russia and Assadhttps://t.co/zAjXUyEzky
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) January 9, 2025
Esbati detailed an incident during former regime president Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to Syria: “When Raisi arrived, Syria’s Ministry of Information said they would decorate the road from the airport to the palace with Iranian flags. But it became clear no official welcome was planned. We had to hastily set up a command center and decorate the road within six hours.” Shortly afterward, Esbati claimed, “The same road was decorated with UAE flags for their foreign minister’s visit.”
Esbati also revealed Assad’s pivot toward Arab states. “Assad’s government accepted offers from the UAE and Saudi Arabia to cover Syria’s financial needs in exchange for limiting Iran’s presence,” he said, as quoted by Ensaf News. This realignment led to significant anti-Iranian measures, including evicting 80% of Iranian families from their residences.
Corruption in Assad’s regime was another focal point. “Even Maher Assad, Bashar’s brother, took bribes from Iraqi pilgrims,” Esbati alleged. “In frontline defenses, only 40 of 400 soldiers were present; the rest paid bribes to stay home.”
#IRGC's Failures in Syria Shows Its Inability to Save Khamenei in #Iran, NCRI Member Sayshttps://t.co/fzu781w7af
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) January 5, 2025
This calculated openness in state media, including platforms like Etemad Online, suggests the regime is deflecting blame for the loss of Assad’s loyalty. By highlighting external betrayals, Tehran attempts to downplay its diminishing influence and the IRGC’s role in Syria’s collapse.
This highlights the dire predicament the clerical regime finds itself in. Despite the high political cost of exposing its fractured alliances, it remains desperate to craft a narrative that conceals the unsettling reality: the very forces its followers and officials rely on to safeguard the regime are anything but stable or morally intact. This calculated move underscores the regime’s true priorities—self-preservation at any cost, even if it means sacrificing credibility and exposing internal vulnerabilities.