The majority of Iranian forces have withdrawn from Syria over the past month, following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. This marks a significant shift in Iran's military involvement in the region after years of propping up the embattled president.

For nearly a decade, Iran had supported Assad’s regime, using Syria as a crucial land route to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon. This relationship resulted in thousands of Iranian fighters and Iran-backed militia forces being stationed across Syria. The majority of these forces were concentrated in eastern Syria, a vital region for both Iran’s strategic interests and its support for Hezbollah.

At the time of the Assad regime’s collapse, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was primarily positioned in eastern Syria, alongside various militia groups, including Iraqi, Lebanese, Afghan, and Syrian fighters.

The IRGC troops stationed in eastern Syria have largely fled to the Iraqi border, particularly to the al-Qaim region, a key crossing point. Meanwhile, IRGC personnel who had been stationed in Aleppo have returned to Tehran. Hezbollah fighters who had been stationed in western Syria have also made their way back to Lebanon via land routes.

Additionally, many of the armed groups backed by Tehran have disbanded, further signaling the weakening of Iran’s foothold in the country.