Iran's Abandoned Economic Dreams in Syria

Iran's ambitious plan to emulate the U.S. Marshall Plan in Syria faced insurmountable challenges. Documents reveal Iran's efforts to build an economic empire by reconstructing Syria, thwarted by Assad's fall, Western sanctions, and local corruption. Iran's substantial investments in Syria remain largely unrecouped amidst regional geopolitical shifts.

Iran had ambitious plans for Syria, reminiscent of the U.S. Marshall Plan but ultimately troubled by corruption, sanctions, and financial challenges. Documents unearthed by Reuters from Iran's embassy in Damascus reveal Tehran's vision to build an economic empire through Syria's reconstruction.

The fall of Bashar al-Assad curtailed these ambitions, along with sectarian conflicts and regional geopolitical dynamics. Iran's significant investments, spanning factories, military projects, and infrastructure, remained largely unrecouped, leaving Iranian investors and local partners in financial straits.

This setback comes amid Iran's wider regional struggles, with increased pressure from the West and losses against regional rivals like Israel. Syria's new leadership, under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, grapples with economic recovery, as Iranian and Syrian stakeholders reassess their post-war roles and futures.

(With inputs from agencies.)