Iran International
Some Iranian politicians and state-controlled media appear to be promoting a parallel narrative about huge Syrian military losses seemingly aimed at reassuring the Tehran's ideological supporters that the so-called axis of resistance it leads remains intact.
Iran's tightly controlled media has largely remained silent on the insurgents' advances, adhering to the official ideological stance that emphasizes the supposed strength of Syria's government, bolstered by support from Iran and Russia.
However, since Thursday evening, Iranian state television has adjusted its tone regarding developments in Syria, referring to the insurgents as "the armed opponents of Assad"—a neutral term compared to the earlier characterization as ISIS extremists.
This could indicate that Tehran is gradually realizing that the landscape is changing and "the armed opponents of Assad" are likely to be in far better position than the government forces.
The shock advance has been led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former affiliate of al-Qaeda that has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States.
The "axis of resistance" is a term coined by Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to describe anti-US and anti-Israeli groups and governments in the Middle East, on whom Iran has spent billions of dollars since 2011 to secure their support.
Following Israeli strikes on Hezbollah and Hamas, the axis of resistance groups appear to have lost most of their ability to influence events. With Iran's air defense largely damaged or destroyed by Israel Iran cannot lent Syria and its proxy groups in the region serious support, fearing further Israeli attacks.
Nonetheless, despite advances by hardline Islamist-led insurgents and the fall of several cities in Syria, Iranian media - particularly state television - continues to promote exaggerated and demonstrably false reports of Syrian army victories and the recapture of lost territories.
"We know that the terrorists' advances in Syria have been blocked, and Iran and Russia have dealt them fatal blows," Beham Saeedi, Secretary of the parliament's National Security Committee, said.
"Assad's opponents' advances are temporary, and I can say with a high degree of certainty that the terrorists were defeated by the axis of resistance before and will be defeated again," Saeedi added, further accusing Israel and the United States of being behind the renewed HTS insurgency and likening it to an attack by Israel on Syria.
"Israel has done everything in its power to weaken the axis of resistance, and Iran will do whatever it takes to continue supporting it."
Meanwhile, Iranian state TV commentator Hassan Hanizadeh told the press in Tehran that Israel is indirectly involved in the war in Syria.
"Netanyahu, has started a new phase in weakening the axis of resistance with the help of the United States and Turkey ... in the coming days the situation will change in the interest of the Syrian government."
Hanizadeh reiterated that following the cease-fire with Hezbollah, Israel has shifted the battlefront to Syria by indirectly using the HTS to weaken the axis of resistance.
In the latest sign of a possible shift in Iran's media policy, state television in Tehran started to acknowledge that the relatively more moderate Syrian National Liberation Front is fighting Assad's forces along with the HTS.
