Iranian press review: Syria offensive causes concern across political spectrum

Syrian rebel offensive causing concern

The recent rapid offensive led by the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group in Syria, which has resulted in the capture of Aleppo and now Hama, is being intensely scrutinised in Iran, which is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The developments have sparked concern among Iranian leaders across the political spectrum.

Iranian analysts and politicians, regardless of their political leanings, have connected these events to the ceasefire struck between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Many have identified Israel and Turkey as the central actors.

The hardline Kayhan daily, whose editor-in-chief is appointed by Iran’s supreme leader, claimed the latest developments in Syria were part of a US-backed effort to distract from what it called “Israel’s defeat” by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“The Takfiris, who benefit directly or indirectly from US support, have launched another sedition in Syria, possibly to open a new front for the resistance and restore the Zionist regime’s lost image, this time in northern Syria,” the daily wrote.

In Iranian political discourse, “resistance” refers to Hezbollah and other regional groups aligned with Tehran.

While conservative outlets echoed Kayhan’s view, reformist media focused on Hezbollah’s weakening at the hands of Israel. They argued that Hezbollah’s withdrawal from Syria to counter Israel has allowed countries such as Turkey and the US to exploit Assad’s vulnerabilities.

The reformist daily Ham Mihan wrote: “Assad’s armed opponents have seized on the damage Israel inflicted on the resistance axis, particularly Hezbollah. With Hezbollah extremely weakened and Russia preoccupied in Ukraine, defending Assad has become increasingly difficult.”

Criticism of president’s nepotism

The recent appointment of President Masoud Pezeshkian’s family members to key positions has sparked widespread criticism, even among his supporters.

Many have reminded the president of one of his central campaign promises: to combat the nepotism that plagued previous administrations.

Last week, it was revealed that Pezeshkian appointed his son, Yousef, as a special assistant to the president’s office. Before this, his son-in-law, Hassan Majidi, was named assistant to the president’s chief of staff.

Yousef holds a PhD in physics and has no prior political experience, while Majidi’s background lies in the tourism sector.

On Sunday, Khabar Online, an outlet supportive of Pezeshkian, criticised the appointments and urged the president to distinguish his administration from its predecessors.

“Such appointments were commonplace in past administrations, but this government was supposed to set a new standard,” wrote Abdul Javad Mousavi, a columnist for the publication. 

He also lambasted those defending the appointments, writing: “The fact that Mr Pezeshkian’s son may be exceptional or that his son-in-law is competent does not make these actions any less objectionable. It insults this country’s thousands of talented and deserving young people.”

Tehran weighs up Trump talks

As Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, debates in Iran over how to approach his policies are intensifying. 

Discussions focus on the possibility of European policy shifts and recent announcements by moderate politicians that Tehran is ready to engage in dialogue with Washington.

While moderates back direct talks with the US, hardline factions remain staunchly opposed.

On Wednesday, the Hamshahri daily published an article titled “Trust the mad man?!”,
responding to a post by Trump on his social media platform Truth Social, which the daily interpreted as a veiled threat to Iran. The newspaper also warned against pursuing negotiations with the US.

“Figures close to Trump have stated that his anti-Iran stance will persist if he regains office,” the editorial noted, criticising domestic advocates of negotiations as repeating past mistakes. 

It pointed to previous administrations’ reliance on dialogue with the US, which, it argued, only led to unmet promises and worsening economic pressures on Iranians.

The piece dismissed Trump’s rhetoric as bluster. “Trump has proven himself to be a man of slogans, not action,” it stated, describing his speeches as dramatic but largely devoid of substance.

Public backlash to hijab law

Details of Iran’s new hijab law, recently revealed in parliament and set to be sent to the government for implementation, have sparked widespread criticism, with many urging President Pezeshkian to block its enforcement.

On Saturday, local media reported that the law would impose fines ranging from 5 million ($118) to 165 million tomans ($4,000) on women who fail to observe the mandatory Islamic hijab in public or even on social media.

Those unable to pay the fines will face restrictions on social services, including passport issuance, permission to travel abroad, renewing driving licences, and obtaining licence plates.

Since the 2022 social uprising following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, the mandatory hijab has become a contentious issue in Iran, with many women refusing to wear it as an act of civil disobedience.

President Pezeshkian, who previously opposed using police patrols to enforce the hijab mandate, had pledged to resist such measures during his election campaign. This has led many Persian media outlets to call on him to honour his promises and oppose the new law.

On Sunday, the Sazandegi daily, which supports Pezeshkian, highlighted a tweet from Pezeshkian’s election campaign, in which he and his cabinet vowed to “stand tall against forced patrols”.

The daily asked: “Will the president stick to his promises or implement the hijab law?”