Rebel leader-turned-Syrian ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa has received scores of foreign delegations since seizing power in Damascus in December -- but not one of them was Iranian.
To drive his point home, Sharaa made trips to Iran's regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Turkey a priority soon after being declared Syria's interim president.
Iran being frozen out by Syria's new rulers is hardly surprising. After all, Tehran spent billions of dollars, dispatched military advisers, and set up proxies in Syria to help former President Bashar al-Assad crack down on dissent and fight rebel forces opposed to his government when civil war broke out in 2011.
"After tens of thousands being killed by Iran, its allies, and proxies in Syria, there's no love lost for them nor much of an urge for rapprochement," said Phillip Smyth, an expert on developments in the Middle East and Iranian proxies.
'Door Closed' To Tehran
Even conservative Iranian media see Sharaa's Saudi trip as a signal to Iran that Damascus has moved out of Tehran's orbit.
"I can't see how it wouldn't be interpreted as a message to Tehran, given Saudi is one of their major regional foes," said Smyth.
Sharaa, head of the U.S.-designated terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has long tried to change his public image. He has publicly renounced his ties to Al-Qaeda and tried to portray himself as a pragmatist and tolerant leader.
He stopped using his rebel moniker Abu Muhammad al-Jolani after toppling the Assad government and has set out to lift sanctions on Syria and rebuild the country after over a decade of civil war.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Germany's Annalena Baerbock walk with Sharaa ahead of their meeting in Damascus on January 3.
Masoud Aflak, a political analyst based in the United Arab Emirates, said Sharaa's Saudi trip was "an important step" toward lifting Western sanctions, acquiring funds to rebuild Syria, and establishing security in the post-Assad era.
"The interim president is aware that to lift sanctions, Syria needs a country that can be its voice on the world stage," he told RFE/RL's Radio Farda.
Saudi Arabia's overture to Sharaa is notable in that Riyadh views Islamist movements as an existential threat.
"Saudi Arabia sees an opportunity based in pragmatism when dealing with Syria," Smyth said. "Now, Saudis, along with other states (including European ones) are testing the waters. They're trying to see what the next chapter will be in Damascus and have more of a chance for influence than with the last regime."
Aflak said the primary concern for the Saudis is to ensure there is no power vacuum in Syria that extremist groups and Iran-backed proxies can use.
"Instability in Syria will not be contained to Syria and will spill over to other countries," Aflak argued.
SEE ALSO: Who Is Ahmed Al-Awda, The Man Who Could Be A Threat To Syria's New Rulers?Sharaa's trip carries another message -- this one directed at Sunni regional actors, according to Smyth.
"It's opening its doors to competitive actors with their own regional geopolitical issues," he said. "Qatar and Saudi come to mind. There's already a relationship with Turkey. The door has been shut to Iran."
Even Russia Gets A Nod
The only other state ally of Assad was Russia, which helped the former Syrian leader maintain his grip on power throughout his reign -- particularly in the years after its major military intervention in 2015 -- and took him in when he was pushed from power.
Unlike Iran, Russia seems to have had some success connecting with Syria's new rulers. It has maintained contact with Damascus and even sent a delegation to speak to Sharaa last week in the hopes of salvaging its military bases in Syria.
"Iran tried to fundamentally change Syria and was overt in these measures. It was sectarian and ideological in nature," Smyth said. "Russia, despite its clear use of cruel violence against civilians, still was a bit more pragmatic."
A Russian aircraft takes off at the Khmeimim air base in December.
Crucially, Smyth added, Russia "provides a better counterweight" to Western powers looking cautiously to establish relations with Damascus.
However, Iran, having watched its loose network of regional allies and proxies unravel over the past year, has little to offer Syria.
"Even their oil doesn't carry much value when links to the Gulf have been renewed," Smyth said.
Room To Wiggle Back?
Syria under Assad served as a crucial part of a land corridor connecting Iran to the Levant, which was considered the logistical backbone of its regional network of state and nonstate actors. Losing Assad has, therefore, dealt a heavy blow to the so-called axis of resistance.
The Iranian government has not ruled out establishing relations with Sharaa's government, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi saying Iran endorses any government elected by the Syrian people.
But that message runs contrary to comments by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who last month backed "Syrian youth" to rise against Sharaa.
People ride past buildings damaged by air strikes during the Assad rule in Douma, on the outskirts of Damascus, in December.
For his part, Sharaa does not seem interested in striking up a relationship with Tehran. He has banned Israelis and Iranians from entering Syria and is reportedly seeking compensation from the Islamic republic for damages caused during the civil war.
That basically leaves Iran with one option: Capitalize on reports of sectarian violence under the new interim government to prop up armed Shi'ite militias to challenge Sharaa.
"They may try to rally some support for violence within Syria. Instability and the crafting of it has always been a usable option for Iran," Smyth said.
But given Iran's many challenges at home and abroad, that is easier said than done.