Sayyida Zaynab shrine
After Assad’s fall, a revered Shia shrine in Syria faces a new era of uncertainty
A shrine on the outskirts of Damascus has long been a prominent destination for Shias from around the world. Its golden dome glistens in the sun and its outer walls are covered in tiles from Iran. But the shrine’s connection to Iran goes beyond aesthetics. Iranian guards not only once protected the holy site — they also helped keep Syria’s former leader, Bashar al-Assad, in power.