The Syrian ambassador to Moscow has been reported to have requested asylum in Russia, TASS quoted a source on Monday as saying. The Russian news agency did not provide any details about the request said to have been submitted by Bashar Jaafari, who was appointed ambassador to Russia in 2022, after serving for 15 years as Syria’s permanent representative to the UN.
According to Reuters, Al-Jaafari, 69, could not be contacted, and the Syrian Embassy in Moscow did not respond to a request for comment.
However, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti and the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen TV station reported that Jaafari has denied reports that he had requested asylum in Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin granted asylum to former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad after he travelled to Moscow with his family following his ouster at the end of last year.
State media reported that the Syrian Foreign Ministry recalled Jaafari and the Syrian ambassador to Saudi Arabia to Damascus last week, saying that the move was part of a restructuring of the diplomatic corps following Assad’s fall.
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