Behrouz Esbati, an Iranian general, partially blamed Russia for the fall of Bashar Assad in Syria. In a speech in Tehran, Esbati accused Russia of bombing an empty desert instead of hitting Syrian rebels. A top Iranian general has accused Russia of lying to Tehran by saying its jets were attacking Syrian rebels while they were instead bombing the open desert. The general also largely blamed internal corruption for Assad's fall, saying that bribery was rife among Syria's top-ranking officials and generals. Assad's fall, which neither Moscow nor Tehran stepped up to prevent, has brought deep implications for Russia's forces in the region.

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Persons: Behrouz Esbati, Bashar Assad, Esbati, Bashar Assad's, Abdullah Abdi, Assad, Hayat Tahrir, Sham, Esbati's, Vladimir Putin, Kamel Saqr, Putin, Saqr Organizations: The New York Times, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Russian Defense Ministry, Business, Al Locations: Iranian, Russia, Syria, Tehran, Syrian, Brig, Gen, Moscow, Geneva, Iran, Hayat Tahrir, Israel, Tel, Damascus, Hayat, Ukraine, Saudi, Al Arabiya, Africa, Libya