The leader of HTS says that the fall of Al Assad in Syria “sets Iran’s project in the region back 40 years”

Al Golani assures that “the Syrian revolution ended with the fall of the regime and will not spread to other places”

Dec. 20 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The leader of the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), Ahmed Hussein al Shara, known as Abu Mohamed al Golani, stated this Friday that the fall of the Bashar al Assad regime in Syria “sets Iran’s project in Syria back 40 years.” the region,” before stating that Syrian territory “will not be used to attack or destabilize Arab or Gulf countries.”

“By withdrawing the Iranian militias and closing Syria to Iranian influence, we have benefited the interests of the region,” he said in an interview with the Saudi newspaper ‘Asharq al Awsat’, in which he stated that the offensive by jihadists and rebels “accomplished what diplomacy and external pressure could not, with minimal losses.”

Thus, he has maintained that “Syria had become a platform for Iran to control key Arab capitals, spread war and destabilize the (Persian) Gulf with drugs such as Captagon”, while promising that “the Syrian revolution ended with the fall of the (Al Assad) regime and will not spread to other places.

In this regard, Al Golani has criticized international efforts to restore ties with the former Assad regime, including its reintegration into the Arab League, before insisting that Al Assad’s flight to Russia “makes the Gulf more safe and stable.”

On the other hand, the now ‘strong man’ in Syria has noted that the new interim authorities “are focused on building a State.” “Syria is tired of wars and being used for other people’s agendas. We want to restore trust and rebuild our country as part of the Arab world,” he added.

Al Golani has emphasized that Damascus now seeks to “achieve similar progress” to those of the Persian Gulf countries, using Saudi Arabia as an example, and has argued that “there are many opportunities for cooperation, especially at the economic and development level.”

“DIFFERENCES ARE HEALTHY”

The HTS leader has also maintained his position in favor of respecting ethnic and religious diversity in Syria, amid fears about possible reprisals and discrimination due to the group’s fundamentalist views, and has stated that the objective is to achieve a new Constitution and guarantee an inclusive system.

“Syria is diverse and it is natural that there are different opinions. These differences are healthy,” he stressed, before delving into the fact that the victory of jihadists and rebels is for the entire population. “Even those who were loyal to the old regime expressed their joy, since before they could not freely express their feelings,” he said.

“My goal is to achieve a comprehensive agreement and build a country in which the rule of law helps resolve differences,” reiterated Al Golani, who has denounced the crimes of the authorities under the Al Assad regime, including “murders, forced disappearances, torture and attacks with chemical weapons.

For this reason, he has opted to do justice, “not revenge”, against former perpetrators of these abuses. “Their names are known and they must be pursued,” said the HTS leader, who revealed that a ministry for missing persons will be created with the aim of clarifying the whereabouts of many victims and providing documentation to their relatives.

“This is a great task, but we must find the truth,” said Al Golani, who said he “does not feel comfortable” being now carrying out his official duties in the People’s Palace, Al Assad’s residence. “This is a place that should be open to everyone, that can be visited and where children play in the yards,” he stressed.

The new authorities in Syria, led by Mohamed al Bashir as interim prime minister, have expressed their desire to establish good relations with the international community and have assured that they will protect the rights of the entire population, including women and minorities.

The offensive in Syria, launched on November 27 from the province of Idlib, allowed jihadists and rebels to take the capital, Damascus, and put an end to the regime of the Al Assad family, in power since 1971 – first with Hafez al Assad ( 1971-2000) and later with his son, Bashar–, in the face of a constant withdrawal of government troops, backed by Russia and Iran.