Assad takes from Syrians, gives resources to Iran, Russia

  'Syria’s economic trouble is not caused by sanctions but due to the Bashar Assad régime using the country’s resources to attack its own people and giving resources over to its allies, namely Iran and Russia, Abdurrahman Mustafa, head of the Syrian Interim Government, stated.

 Mustafa said that the country has been struggling for 10 years both economically and in a humanitarian regard. He reiterated that the United Nations’ 2020 report stated 90% of the Syrian people are living below the hunger threshold.

 “Millions of people live in tents in difficult conditions at a time when unemployment has increased due to forceful displacements by régime forces and their allies,” he stated, stressing that Syria’s economy is worse than it has ever been, with the Syrian pound further losing value. The monthly income of a person has fallen to as low as $20. The reason for this awful situation is not economic sanctions as the régime and its allies claim. The real reason is that the régime uses the country’s resources to attack its own people, leaving the people hungry and in poverty while handing the resources over to the use of its allies Iran and Russia.” 



 Syria's war has devastated the country's economy since 2011, plunging around 90% of its people into poverty, according to the United Nations.

 Much of the economy in régime-held areas has been shuttered to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The World Food Programme (WFP) last year said food prices had doubled in a year to an all-time high across Syria. Over that same period, people in régime-held areas have faced fuel crises, a plummeting Syrian pound on the black market and steep price hikes. Damascus has blamed Western sanctions for its struggling economy.

 Mustafa stated that bad administering and corruption in all levels of the government also contributed to Syria’s economic downturn.

 He once again criticized the international community for not acting and giving the Syrian people the necessary support while the régime rejects a political solution, threatening the region’s peace, stability and Syrians themselves.

 “From past experiences, it is known that the régime does not promise any cease-fire or agreement but carries out massacres whenever it has the possibility. The fact that there is no international deterrent causes the régime and its allies to conduct ever more crimes against the Syrian people. We got used to the régime bombing its own people as a means to put pressure on Turkey and the international community and to make its election theater accepted.”

 Mustafa said that the opposition knows the régime will not abide by any agreement, while the opposition on the other hand has been sticking to all agreements.

 He also thanked Turkey’s efforts to reach a cease-fire with Russia, “which had been bombing the Syrian people.”

 The Idlib de-escalation zone was forged under an agreement between Turkey and Russia. The area has been the subject of multiple cease-fire understandings, which have been frequently violated by the Assad régime and its allies.

 A fragile truce was brokered between Moscow and Ankara in March 2020 in response to months of fighting by the Russia-backed régime. Almost a million people have fled the Assad régime’s offensive. The régime still frequently carries out attacks on civilians, hindering most from returning to their homes and forcing them to stay in makeshift camps.

 The elections, which the Assad régime set for May 26, will block the roads to a political solution for the Syrian conflict, Mustafa pointed out.

 Calling the elections nonsense, he highlighted that they have neither a political nor legal basis.

 “The régime lost its legitimacy in the eyes of the Syrian people and the international community long ago. The current elections are reimposed so that this dictator (Bashar Assad) and his allies can kill and displace its people without a moral deterrent.” '