Nation held hostage by 'mafia, corruption’: Top Syrian diplomat in Moscow blasts ousted Assad

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - A top Syrian diplomat on Monday criticized the ousted Assad regime, saying it operated like a “corrupt mafia” that exploited the nation for personal gain.

Once a staunch supporter of former leader Bashar Assad, Bashar Jaafari, Syria’s ambassador in Moscow, expressed his disillusionment in comments to the press. “I’m speaking about the Syrian state, not the regime,” he said. “You might be surprised to hear me say that there was never a real regime at any point. If there had been, it would have defended itself.”

Jaafari’s remarks followed the fall of the Assad regime, which crumbled on Dec. 8 after opposition forces entered Damascus.

“What existed was a corrupt mafia system that served its own interests. You’ve seen how quickly that system fell. This national dialogue is promising because the new political leadership is making attractive commitments to all sectors of Syrian society. Hopefully, these will be realized effectively, peacefully, and without violence.”

During his diplomatic career, Jaafari held various positions within Syria’s Foreign Ministry and served in Syrian embassies worldwide. In 2006, he became Syria’s permanent representative to the UN.

During his tenure, Jaafari strongly defended the Assad regime, repeatedly denying allegations of human rights abuses. He also tried to justify the regime’s actions on international platforms, often clashing with global officials.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.

The takeover came after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) fighters captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks.