Aleppo: Viral video shows Syrian Islamic rebels storming Iran's consulate; embarrassed Tehran blames Israel

Hours after thousands of Syrian Islamic rebels took over the city of Aleppo, images doing rounds on social media showed its fighters inside the Iranian embassy in Aleppo. Tehran confirmed that the rebels took over the embassy but warned that "any violation of diplomatic premises by any individual, group, or government is unacceptable under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations."

The Iranian Consul General and all members of the Iranian consulate in Aleppo are safe and unharmed.

The capture of Aleppo by the Syrian rebel group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has come as a huge embarrassment for Tehran, casting a shadow over its concerns about regional strategy. However, Iran is said to be downplaying the fall of Aleppo calling it "a minor setback" and stating that it will continue to support Bashar al-Assad.

However, Iran International, a Persian news media based in London, said several Iranian forces have been killed. Quoting Kayhan newspaper which is close to Ali Khamenei's office, the report said the ultimate target of the rebels is Iran.

"In the past couple of days, during the war in Syria and Aleppo, several Iranians have been martyred. Therefore, the primary and ultimate target of this new conflict is Iran," Kayhan wrote in its article. However, Tehran is yet to confirm the death of any Iranians in Aleppo, except IRGC senior commander Kioumars Pourhashemi.

Also read: Did Russia kill the leader of the Islamist group HTS hours after his men stormed Syria's Aleppo?

Clashes continue

The Syrian army is set to be seeking reinforcement and hoping to reverse the temporary gains made by the HTS. However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the insurgents have seized control of Aleppo International Airport, posting pictures from there.

There is no Syrian Army in sight and are continuing to seize towns and villages in northern Hama. There are also reports from local Iranian media that intense clashes are taking place between the Syrian army and armed groups in the southeastern Idlib countryside.

Iran blames Israel

Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has warned that a new offensive "is in line with the Israeli regime’s goals in the region following the establishment of a ceasefire in Lebanon."

According to the state-controlled media house Tehran Times, photos and footage published by the terrorists show a big majority of them are not even Syrian, but from Uzbekistan, China, and even Ukraine.

The report quoting West Asia expert Mohammad Reza Moradi said "HTS terrorists are part of a bigger puzzle Israel and its Western allies are trying to build."

"Israel has said that it will be targeting every country associated with the Axis of Resistance. It appears that the regime and Washington managed to prepare for attacks in Syria when the Resistance was focused on developments in Gaza and Lebanon," Moradi added.