Iranian Assistant Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdul Lahyan

London-At the time when conflicts aggravated between Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the country’s Revolutionary Guard regarding changes in the foreign political stances in the Arab region, especially those related to the latter’s activities in Syria and Iraq, Iranian sources close to the matter suggested that Iranian Assistant Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdul Lahyan was the main victim in these conflicts.

The sources believe that criticisms against Abdul Lahyan, who manages the Iranian policy in the region, have followed US-Iranian negotiations regarding the Syrian crisis. They also believe that these criticisms resulted from deep disputes with the Foreign Minister, Mohammed Javad Zarif regarding the “new trends” of Iran’s foreign policy.

Moreover, “Raja News”, a website close to the former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, implicitly accused Zarif of bringing up the Syrian file with the United States, defying Khamenei’s will.

The website considered Abdul Lahyan to be the most protruding victim of the “new trends” of Iran’s foreign policy in the region. However, it did not explain these trends or changes in the Iranian stance regarding the military interference in Syria.

On the other hand, during a closed session for the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Iranian Parliament in November, Abdul Lahyan was subjected to severe criticisms due to the failure of Iranian policies in putting pressure on Arab foreign policies, with Saudi Arabia in the forefront.

The Iranian Parliamentary Committee demanded Abdul Lahyan to resign from his post after the Iranian foreign policy has weakened in the Middle East.

Hussein Amir Abdul Lahyan is a close friend of the Commander of the Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, and he is the first Iranian official to deny Soleimani’s injury in Aleppo. He is also considered a linking point between the Foreign Minister and the Commander of the Revolutionary Guard.