Tue Dec 31 18:34:59 UTC 2024: ## Iran Predicts New Anti-Israel Group to Emerge in Post-Assad Syria
**Tehran, January 1, 2025** – Iran’s top security official, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, has predicted the rise of a new resistance group in Syria dedicated to fighting Israel, following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad on December 8th. Ahmadian, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, stated that the Israeli occupation of Syrian territories has spurred the creation of this new force.
Assad’s ouster, following a swift offensive by rebel forces, has led to increased Israeli military activity in Syria. Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes on Syrian military installations, citing the need to prevent them from falling into hostile hands. Furthermore, Israeli troops have occupied strategic positions in a UN-patrolled buffer zone between Syria and the Golan Heights, a move condemned by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as a violation of the 1974 armistice.
Despite setbacks for its regional allies, including Hamas and Hezbollah, following the 2023 Gaza war, Ahmadian insisted that Iran’s anti-Israel axis remains strong and its nuclear doctrine unchanged. These assurances follow recent reports suggesting internal debate within Iran regarding its nuclear policy, fueled by frustrations over unfulfilled commitments. Iran continues to maintain its right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, denying any intention to develop nuclear weapons.
First Piper 