President Joe Biden addressed the nation Sunday evening, marking the fall of Syria’s Assad regime as a defining moment for the region and a triumph of U.S. foreign policy.
He attributed the collapse of Assad’s government to the weakened state of its key supporters—Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia—underscoring the role his administration played in diminishing their influence.
“For years, Assad relied on Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia to prop up his regime,” Biden said. “But in the past week, their support has collapsed. All three are far weaker today than when I took office.”
Russia has been bogged down in its protracted war with Ukraine since its invasion in February 2022, while Iran and Hezbollah remain tied up in their escalating conflict with Israel following Hamas’ October 2023 attacks.
The United States, he noted, has consistently supported Ukraine and Israel in their respective battles, which indirectly undermined Assad’s backers.
“These developments made it impossible for Iran, Hezbollah, or Russia to sustain their support for Assad,” Biden explained. “For the first time, none of these powers could defend this abhorrent regime.”
Biden called the fall of the Assad regime a “fundamental act of justice” and an “historic opportunity” for Syria’s