The article analyzes the consequences of the power shift in Syria for the military, political, economic and ideological dimensions of Iran’s foreign policy in the Middle East region. It is stated that Syria was a key element of the Iranian concept of the “axis of resistance” to Israel and the United States in the Middle East. It is noted that Iran at the official level was forced to take a rather cautious reaction regarding the fall of the government of B. Assad. At the level of official rhetoric, Iran remains committed to the concept of a “resistance front”, emphasizing the deep ideological nature of this project over its physical expression. However, the power shift in Syria, coupled with the weakening of other forces allied to Iran, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, indicates the need for a fundamental revision of Tehran’s regional strategy. It is noted that the fall of the Assad government in Syria marks the impossibility of realizing the project of a sustainable Iran-Mediterranean corridor with its geopolitical and geo-economic dimensions. Iran’s strategy of “deterrence” of its adversaries will require a significant revision, which is likely to manifest itself in a shift of emphasis to the forces allied to Iran in Iraq and Yemen and possibly take the form of activation of the country’s military nuclear program. The growing role of the “Persian Gulf sub-region plus Yemen” space for Iranian strategy in the Middle East has been noted.
Iran, foreign policy, Syria, Middle East, regional strategy, axis of resistance, strategic deterrence, Hezbollah, Israel, foreign policy ideology