The collapse of longtime Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last year was felt across the Middle East, and nowhere more than in Iran, his closest ally. Assad’s fall was a major blow to Iran, which had used Syria to expand its regional influence and funnel weapons to armed groups fighting Israel, Tehran’s archrival. One year on from Assad’s overthrow on December 8, 2024, Iran is still grappling with the consequences of its strategic defeat in Syria. The Islamic Republic has attempted to rebuild its influence in Syria, but experts…