Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has blamed his archenemies the United States and Israel for the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria.

“There can be no doubt that what has happened in Syria is the result of a joint American-Zionist plan,” Khamenei said on Wednesday in the capital Tehran, according to state radio.

Khamenei said Iran had evidence to back up its accusations.

“A neighbouring government of Syria also plays a role,” said the 85-year-old, apparently an allusion to Turkey, which supports rebels in northern Syria.

“But the main planners are the US and the Zionist regime,” Khamenei said.

After a lightning offensive, rebels in Syria, led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), overthrew long-time ruler al-Assad on Dec. 8.

Syria’s former government was a key ally for Tehran. (dpa/NAN)