October 1, 2026
Reuters revealed a round of secret talks hosted by Türkiye between representatives of the Syrian government and the Lebanese Hezbollah, aimed at normalizing security relations and addressing mutual concerns. The meetings resulted in significant progress on security files without reaching a final agreement, amid Iranian resentment at excluding Tehran from the immediate table.
The agency explained, based on six informed sources – including Syrian officials, an American official, and a high-ranking Lebanese security official close to the party – that the two parties held at least a direct meeting during last September, in the first announced meeting between the two sides since the years of confrontation in Syria. The meeting took place at the invitation and coordination of the Turkish intelligence services, amid extreme secrecy due to the sensitivity of the file.
Discussions focused on defusing the tension. The Syrian side provided assurances that Damascus does not intend to intervene militarily in Lebanon to disarm the party. In return, Damascus demanded that the party stop weapons smuggling operations and dismantle its remaining sleeper cells, especially in southern Syria. For its part, the party’s representatives committed not to interfere in Syrian affairs, without providing decisive responses regarding the smuggling and cells issue.
These developments coincide with the Syrian authorities’ announcement, last Tuesday, of the arrest of a Hezbollah cell that was preparing to launch missiles in the south of the country, which the party denied on Wednesday, stressing the absence of any security and military presence or activity on Syrian territory. Despite this, a Lebanese security source described the meeting as positive, indicating that the party seeks to secure its front against any possible Syrian attack inside Lebanon.
According to the sources, the Turkish move came under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to strengthen Syria’s stability, support reconstruction efforts, and consolidate Ankara’s role as a major regional mediator alongside Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. On the other hand, the party’s leadership attended the meeting with Tehran’s knowledge, but the Iranians expressed great dissatisfaction with their direct absence from the talks, in conjunction with Shara’s rejection – at the present time – of any proposal to open direct channels of communication with Tehran, which contributed to the failure to reach a final agreement and announce it.
The roots of the current tension go back to the past era, which witnessed Hezbollah sending fighters to support the government of former President Bashar al-Assad. After the fall of his regime in late 2024 following an attack by opposition factions, disputes escalated following accusations that the party was transporting weapons through Syrian territory, amid American encouragement for the Syrian army to move militarily in Lebanon. However, previous political statements by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani in July, and Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem in August, paved the way towards this mutual openness to dialogue.
So far, the Syrian Foreign Ministry and the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defense, as well as the US State Department, have refrained from immediate comment to Reuters, while Hezbollah’s media office has remained silent, and no comment has been issued by the Iranian permanent mission in Geneva.
