Iran denies embassy evacuation in Syria amid rising terrorism

Tehran – Iran’s Foreign Ministry has categorically denied recent Western media reports suggesting the evacuation of its embassy staff from Damascus amidst escalating violence in Syria.

Esmail Baqaei, the Ministry’s spokesperson, asserted on Saturday that the diplomatic mission continues to function normally despite the renewed insurgency.

The New York Times reported on Friday that “evacuations were ordered at the Iranian Embassy in Damascus” due to the intensifying conflict.

The article, citing unnamed sources, suggested that some personnel were allegedly returning to Tehran, while others were traveling by land to Lebanon, Iraq, and the Syrian port city of Latakia. 

Baqaei, however, dismissed these claims as baseless, emphasizing that no such evacuations are taking place. 

In an interview with an Iranian news outlet, he reiterated, “Those claims are not true. Iran’s embassy in Damascus remains operational and continues with its routine activities.” 

Moreover, Yaghoub Rezazadeh, an Iranian parliamentarian serving on the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, noted on Saturday: “There are currently more than 10,000 Iranians in Syria.” 

Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that the Israeli regime and its allied anti-Syria militant groups aim to turn Syria into a hub of terrorism and a threat to the West Asia region. 

Araghchi reaffirmed that Iran has been a steadfast supporter of the Syrian government and its people, providing assistance upon Damascus’s requests. 

The conflict in Syria, ongoing since March 2011, has been exacerbated by foreign-sponsored terrorist activities. 

In late November, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group launched a major offensive in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces, seizing several areas. 

Forces from the Syrian Army have been fighting to recover lost territory. Despite mixed results, they have reportedly eliminated at least 2,000 terrorists in the past week.