The Season of Overthrowing Dictatorships in the Middle East!

The developments have proven the Iranian resistance's assertion that "the head of the snake of the velayat-e faqih is in Tehran." The tyrannical Assad regime has fallen, and this downfall is an inevitable precursor to the overthrow of the ruling religious dictatorship in Iran.

Although Syria has gone through its toughest periods under Assad's rule and it is the right of the Syrian people to rejoice and celebrate their victory over dictatorship now, it is essential to remember that the Syrian people's revolution has many friends at both regional and international levels, with the Iranian people and their resistance at the forefront of these allies, as the dictatorship of the Assad family has always been a close servant of the ruling religious dictatorship in Iran during its ominous rule over this land.

**The Relations Between the Two Dictatorial Regimes in Iran and Syria!**
Hafez al-Assad died of a heart attack on June 10, 2000, at the age of 69. Following his death, the Syrian Baath Party elected Bashar, Hafez al-Assad's son, as President of the Syrian Baath government, and he practiced an even harsher dictatorial regime in Syria. Bashar al-Assad visited Tehran early in his administration, where Khamenei expressed condolences for Hafez al-Assad's death, confirming that "the Islamic Republic of Iran has lost a dear friend and brother with the passing of Mr. Hafez al-Assad." He added that the continuity of this approach through his son, who reminds others of his father, is a source of hope and optimism. Bashar al-Assad then indicated that Damascus, as it was during Hafez al-Assad's time, will always support Tehran in all circumstances, just as the Syrian Baath regime supported Iran during the Iran-Iraq War.

**The Overthrow of Bashar al-Assad from the Perspective of the Iranian Dictatorship!**
Abbas Araqchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, stated: "The speed of developments surprised everyone, as it was unexpected. Complete information in this regard had been conveyed to the Syrian authorities." In response to a question from an official Iranian television reporter who said, "Some are openly saying that the next target is Iraq. Do you have such a prediction regarding the region?" Araqchi replied, "These predictions are based on some facts that cannot be ignored, whether based on analysis or some available information. It is likely that the circle of conflicts will extend to the entire region, not just Iraq, but will also encompass other parts of the region."

Masoud Bezhakian, the president appointed by Khamenei, expressed during a cabinet meeting: "It is the Syrian people who must decide the future of this country and its political and governmental system!" He boldly and unexpectedly expressed his hope that the Syrian people could determine their destiny in a calm environment away from any destructive foreign interventions, as befits the great people of Syria! (Bezhakian's website – December 8, 2024).

**Strategic Transformation in the Middle East**
After the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government, international and regional media reported that this development would change the balance of power in the region and even affect the future of Syria and the allies of the Iranian regime. The overthrow of the tyrannical Assad regime in Syria marks a turning point in the decline of this dictatorship's military and political role in the Middle East. It has become clear to those who have somewhat followed developments in the region over the past few decades that the 14-month war between Israel and Hamas, Hezbollah, and other militias affiliated with the velayat-e faqih regime has moved the "Axis of Resistance of the Iranian regime" to a new strategic phase, paving the way for the crushing of the "head of the snake of the velayat-e faqih," and allowing for the victory of the people over the fiercest dictatorships of the century. The fall of the "Assad" dictatorship in Syria was synonymous with the "stigma of the mullahs' regime" in shaping and strengthening client forces, especially Hezbollah in Lebanon, and advancing a policy of interference in the affairs of regional nations.

**The Fate of Assad's Allies!**
There is no doubt that the fate of Assad's allies will be more tragic, as the Assad dictatorship was merely a branch of a larger dictatorial tree imposing its will in the region. Currently, with the increasing concerns of Iranian authorities, the worries of the mullahs’ militias, particularly in Iraq, are intensifying, and these militias will quickly collapse under the fury of the peoples, just as the Assad regime did.

There is no doubt that the future of the Middle East will largely depend on the wisdom of the new Syrian government in taking necessary steps to confront the Iranian regime and serve its people

*By Abdul Rahman Korki (Mahabadi)*