Major General Hossein Salami, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), stated that Iran's involvement in Syria is not driven by territorial ambitions or expansionist interests but rather by a commitment to defending the dignity of Muslims.

Salami highlighted the role of foreign powers in destabilizing Syria, describing them as "wolves seeking to divide the country." He elaborated, "The Israelis occupy the South, another force dominates the North, and yet another controls the East, leaving the Syrian people isolated and facing an uncertain future."

Israeli encroachment: A violation of Damascus' sovereignty and privacy

Reflecting on Syria's ongoing crisis, Salami described how the collapse of the regime led to a series of devastating events. He highlighted the alarming situation where Israeli forces have gained unprecedented visibility into the daily lives of Damascus residents, portraying it as an unbearable violation of sovereignty and privacy.

He underscored the importance of resilience, saying, "We now understand the critical value of Resistance. The failure of an army to stand firm paves the way for a nation’s occupation. Syria’s experience is a bitter lesson from which we must draw essential insights."

Salami added that the Syrian people recognize the significance of Resistance as a source of dignity amid the unfolding events in Damascus, in reference to the advancing of the Israeli occupation forces in the southern parts of the country towards the capital, Damascus on Saturday.

In closing, he expressed confidence in Syria's eventual liberation, led by its determined and resilient youth.

"Israel will pay a heavy price, with its soldiers buried in occupied Syrian lands. However, this requires time and steadfastness," he affirmed.

Pathways to support Resistance open, not confined to Syria: IRGC chief

Earlier on Thursday, Salami said in a meeting with several IRGC commanders that Iran has worked in recent years to enhance the independence of Hezbollah and Palestinian liberation forces from geographical dependency, emphasizing that the two groups are now largely self-reliant.

The commander-in-chief of the IRGC indicated that the pathways to support the Resistance Front remain open and are not confined to Syria, noting that conditions in the West Asian country could change.

Commenting on developments there, he revealed that Iran was aware of the movements of militants and Takfiri elements in recent months and even managed to identify the potential attack fronts

According to Salami, Tehran informed the relevant military and political authorities in Syria about the matter, but there was no will for change or [engaging in] war on the Syrian leadership's side.

"Some expect the IRGC to fight in place of the Syrian Army, but is it logical for us to fight in another country while that country's army stands idly by?" Salami questioned.

He also stressed that IRGC forces were the last to leave the battlefield in Syria, and the last soldier to leave the arena was from the IRGC, adding that all routes to Syria were closed.

The IRGC commander further highlighted that Syria was the only country that refused normalization with the Israeli occupation regime and served as a haven for Resistance and liberation movements.