On December 14, 2024, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan disclosed intriguing details regarding Turkey's involvement in the downfall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. In an interview with Turkish channel NTV, Fidan stated that Turkey successfully persuaded both Russia and Iran not to intervene militarily during the opposition’s offensive, which ultimately led to Assad's ousting.

Throughout the conflict that began in 2011, Russia and Iran were pivotal supporters of Assad's regime, providing military and financial assistance to prevent his overthrow, especially during critical moments in 2012 when Assad lost significant territory to opposition forces. However, as the dynamics of the conflict evolved, international involvement shifted the balance of power.

Fidan emphasized the importance of communicating with Russia and Iran, ensuring that they would refrain from military action. "We spoke with the Russians and Iranians, and they understood," he said.

Following an 11-day assault, Syrian opposition forces managed to depose Assad, who subsequently fled to Russia with his family, according to Al Jazeera. Fidan added that their goal was to minimize casualties and achieve the objective without shedding blood through targeted negotiations with key players capable of using force.

He remarked that if Assad had received continued support from Russia and Iran, the opposition's victory would have taken much longer and resulted in significant bloodshed. "The Russians and Iranians realized that it no longer made sense to support him. The man they invested in was no longer worthy of investment," Fidan noted, highlighting shifts in both regional and global circumstances.

Neither Moscow nor Tehran has confirmed or denied Fidan's assertions about Ankara's efforts to prevent assistance to Assad before his fall.

The Syrian armed opposition declared on December 8, 2024, that it had taken control of the Syrian capital, Damascus, marking the end of Assad's presidency and the beginning of a "new era" for Syria. This followed a large-scale military operation launched by opposition forces on November 27, which culminated in the end of the Assad family's decades-long rule.