Syria to target Iran with $300 billion compensation demand - Lebanese outlet

Syria’s new administration is preparing a $300 billion compensation demand against Iran for damages caused during its support for ousted President Bashar al-Assad, according to Lebanese outlet Al-Modon on Tuesday.

The compensation is intended for “the Syrian people and the Syrian state, for the harm caused by Tehran’s ‘criminal and arbitrary’ policies to the Syrians and the Syrian infrastructure during its military alignment with its militias in favor of the regime of the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad,” Al-Modon quoted an unnamed source close to Syria’s new political administration as saying.

While Syria accuses Iran of causing extensive harm to its people and infrastructure, Iranian politicians are grappling with the opposite concern—the potential loss of billions Iran invested in propping up Bashar al-Assad’s government.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei addressed these concerns last week, dismissing claims that Syria owes Iran between $30 and $50 billion, calling the figures exaggerated. He explained that any debts would transfer to Syria’s new political system under the principle of state succession. “These figures, such as the claim of a $50 billion debt owed to Iran by Syria, are truly very exaggerated,” Baghaei said.

Conflicting reports about Iranian embassy reopening

Adding to the tension, an Al-Modon source denied any ongoing communication between the Iranian government and Syria’s new administration. The source said, “Communication between the new administration and Iran is completely cut off,” and added, “The new administration has no current plans to engage with Iran, whether regarding an embassy in Damascus or a consulate in Aleppo.”

This is while, the Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani on Tuesday said that Iran is in talks to reopen its embassy in Damascus.