Syria, Iran and Iraq warn of regional consequences from Syrian rebels' offensive

Anti-Assad militants have captured the cities of Aleppo and Hama and are advancing to other areas

Members of a joint force standing guard at the Iraqi-Syrian border on December 5. AFP

The Foreign Ministers of Iraq, Iran, and Syria warned on Friday, following a trilateral meeting in Baghdad, that the escalating violence in Syria will not remain within its borders and poses a significant threat to the region, especially to neighbouring countries.

"We discussed the difficult and dangerous circumstances in Syria in detail," Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein told a press conference flanked by his Iranian and Syrian counterparts.

"We discussed the critical security situation and its implications on other countries and the neighbours, particularly Iraq," Mr Hussein said, adding that "the security of Syria and Iraq are interconnected, and the security of both countries is tied to that of surrounding states".

Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh echoed the same warnings, saying the escalation "is not only a threat to the security and stability of Syria, but also to the security and stability of the entire region," calling for "mobilising efforts to support the state in combating the terrorism and preserving its sovereignty and the safety of its people".

For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called for the military support of the Syrian government in its fight against rebel forces.

"Terrorism knows no borders," Mr Araghci said. "Therefore, to combat terrorism, we can't stop at our borders; we must go beyond them.

"If Syria becomes a safe heaven for terrorists, they will launch attacks and use it as a base to target other countries such as Turkey, Jordan and Iraq."

In a separate meeting, Mr Hussein and Mr Sabbagh discussed "the situation and security developments in Syria", the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Mr Hussein "voiced Iraq's deep concerns regarding these developments, noting that Iraq closely monitors the situation in Syria due to its direct impact on the security and stability of the region", it added.

Both ministers stressed the importance of continued "consultation and co-ordination between the two countries to avoid repeating past experiences and to work towards protecting regional security, ensuring stability and serving their shared interests", the statement said.

Syrian and Iranian Foreign Minister also held separate meetings with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani and President Abdul Latif Rashid as well as other officials.

During a meeting with the Iranian minister, Mr Al Sudani "emphasised Iraq's official and steadfast position in support of Syria's unity, security, and stability, stressing the importance of respecting Syria's sovereignty," according to a statement.

He affirmed his country's "commitment to exerting intensive diplomatic efforts to help contain the crisis in Syria, given its direct impact on Iraq's security".

For a week, Hayat Tahrir Al Sham and its allies have conducted an offensive against government troops that began in northern Syria. The rebels have captured the cities of Aleppo and Hama, with hundreds of fighters killed on both sides and tens of thousands of people displaced.

Meanwhile, Turkey, Iran and Russia are set to meet in Doha on Saturday to discuss the rebel advance in Syria, a Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters on Friday.

Iraq also called for a regional meeting in Baghdad to discuss the current escalation in violence in Syria.

“Baghdad will try to arrange for a meeting to a number of states to discuss the dangerous situation in Syria,” Mr Hussein. “We will engage in diplomatic communications to reach understandings with the representatives of these countries,” he added. He didn’t name the countries but said some of them are members of Astana format. He also called for an urgent meeting for Arab League at the ministerial level.

Mr Sabbagh said that the country's armed forces remained committed to fighting rebels, despite recent setbacks, including retreats from several areas.

“The armed forces were forced to carry out retreat operations in line with battle tactics, repositioning and deployment,” he said. “The army will continue to carry out its duties,” he added, stressing that this message has been communicated to allies of Damascus.

Baghdad has taken increased security measures by sending more troops to the border with Syria.

Earlier efforts by Iraq to secure its borders came after ISIS took over about a third of Syria and about two-fifths of Iraq in 2014. Iraq, whose border with Syria is more than 600km long, has built a wall and dug a trench in some areas. That has been fortified with an integrated monitoring system, which includes fences, a concrete wall and thermal surveillance cameras.

Iraqi Foreign Minister said his country must guard against attack. "We stress the need to protect Iraqi territory and borders and distance Iraq from any terrorist attacks", adding that "all Iraqi security forces are on high alert".

Tehran-allied Shiite factions have sent reinforcements to Syria to support the government of President Bashar Al Assad, adding to contingents of fighters present since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011. However, there is no clear sign yet if these Iraqi militias have been sent to the front line to support Syrian government forces.

The escalation in Syria has come against the backdrop of the continuing war in Gaza and the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.

More than 44,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive in Gaza, the enclave's health authorities said. This followed a Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 240 abducted. About 100 captives are still in Gaza, one third of whom are believed to be dead.