{"id":327238,"date":"2025-01-01T17:07:20","date_gmt":"2025-01-01T16:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=327238"},"modified":"2025-11-04T19:43:36","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T18:43:36","slug":"khameneis-speech-reflects-iranian-regimes-morale-crisis-after-strategic-loss-in-syria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/terrorism-a-fundamentalism\/khameneis-speech-reflects-iranian-regimes-morale-crisis-after-strategic-loss-in-syria\/","title":{"rendered":"Khamenei\u2019s Speech Reflects Iranian Regime\u2019s Morale Crisis After Strategic Loss in Syria"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei conducted a speech on January 1, 2025, ahead of the fifth anniversary of the killing of IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Three-minute read<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Today, in a speech addressing families<\/a> of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces killed in Syria and Lebanon, the regime\u2019s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei sought to project strength while grappling with the evident loss of morale among his forces. Held ahead of the fifth anniversary of Qassem Soleimani\u2019s killing, the event underscored the regime\u2019s growing anxiety following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and the shifting regional dynamics.<\/p>\n

Khamenei attempted to justify his regime\u2019s costly intervention in Syria, claiming, \u201cThe blood shed by the so-called \u2018defenders of the shrine\u2019 in Syria has not been wasted.\u201d He further insisted, \u201cIf these sacrifices had not been made, there would be nothing left of Zainabiyya, Karbala, or Najaf today.\u201d These remarks came against the backdrop of widespread criticism over the regime\u2019s substantial expenditures in Syria, both in financial terms\u2014running into tens of billions of dollars\u2014and human costs, with thousands of casualties among IRGC members and its proxies.<\/p>\n

The Supreme Leader conspicuously avoided acknowledging the current reality in Syria, where Shiite holy sites remain open and protected by the new government<\/a>. The fall of Assad has triggered significant discontent within the regime, with officials questioning the strategic benefits of Iran\u2019s interventions. Despite this, Khamenei sought to bolster his narrative, stating that the sacrifices of Iranian-backed forces demonstrated that \u201cthe Islamic Revolution is alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

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#Khamenei<\/a>\u2019s Crisis Speech Highlights Declining Power Amid Strategic Setbackshttps:\/\/t.co\/70C6PGIKSg<\/a><\/p>\n

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) December 22, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n