WSJ reports that Iran's main forces have left Syria following Bashar Assad's escape.

Most military personnel from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have headed to the Iraqi city of Al-Qaim, while some have flown to Tehran, and members of the radical group "Hezbollah," designated as a terrorist organization in the United States, have moved to Lebanon.

The new Syrian government led by "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham" views Iran as a threat and intends to prevent its formations from returning to Syria. The de facto Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa stated that Assad's defeat has pushed Iranian influence in the region back by decades.

Iran, which has spent billions supporting Assad's regime, is facing a weakening of its position in the Middle East, partly due to Israeli airstrikes and military losses, as noted by The Wall Street Journal.

• At the end of November, anti-government forces led by the pro-Turkish group "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham" began an offensive and on December 8 announced control over Damascus and the overthrow of Assad's regime. The President of Syria fled to Russia, where he was granted asylum. The New York Times, citing sources, reported that amid the offensive by anti-government forces on Damascus, Iran began evacuating military personnel and diplomats to Iraq and Lebanon.

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