Abstract
This study examines Iran’s strategic options regarding Syria and the broader region following the fall of the Assad regime in November 2024. The new government has significantly undermined Iran’s influence in Syria, stripping it of a critical regional asset and a key component of its security doctrine. Analyzing Iran’s options at this juncture is crucial, given its efforts to reestablish its role and influence in the region after significant setbacks to its regional proxies and allies — amid unprecedented regional and international pressure to curb its behavior, which has undermined regional security. The study explores the dimensions of Iran’s declining influence by addressing the contours of Iran’s clout in Syria before Assad’s fall, Iran’s vulnerabilities in this arena, the current conditions posing challenges to Iran’s efforts to restore its presence in Syria and the region and the strategic options available to Iran to mitigate the impact of this significant decline.
