How the 'new Syria' is confronting Iran

Since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Syria's new military, security, and intelligence institutions have been working diligently to secure the country's porous borders with Iraq and Lebanon. They have sent reinforcements in stages, created joint border control frameworks with Baghdad and Beirut, and arrested senior smugglers.

Despite these efforts, Syria still faces many challenges. Some cells, especially those affiliated with pro-Iran militias and the Islamic State (IS), remain active. Certain regions of Syria are still beyond the control of the central government in Damascus, including areas with a significant Druze population in the south. Additionally, Syria is overwhelmed with weapons left behind by Assad's retreating forces, leading to increased violence.

The economy has been severely damaged since Bashar al-Assad fled, and numerous issues, such as essential services, infrastructure, housing, and border security, require immediate attention. Halting the cross-border narcotics trade has become a pressing priority, as drugs degrade Syria's social fabric and destabilize regional security.

Despite this, Iran remains committed to its land corridor through Syria, particularly to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Syria's leadership is attempting to "cut the cord" with Iran and its militias, which means disrupting Iranian supply routes to Hezbollah. However, Iran is not backing down easily. If Iran perceives collaboration with the US as a threat, it might even escalate tensions militarily.

The media in Iran now portrays the new Syrian government as an "enemy" and an American puppet. Syrian army soldiers inspect a tunnel on the Syrian-Lebanese border in Al Qusayr, highlighting the ongoing issue of smuggling. The rapid decline of the Assad regime and the new Syrian authorities' campaign against smuggling, narcotics, and militias have significantly impacted Hezbollah.

While it has managed to preserve several smuggling routes, it has abandoned numerous weapons depots and severed its most crucial Iranian supply route. Nonetheless, Hezbollah continues to recruit new networks, devise new smuggling methods, and plan potential attacks in Syrian regions with diverse populations to ignite ethnic and sectarian tensions, obstruct security, political, and economic coordination between Syria and Lebanon.