Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa revealed that Damascus is working to formulate a security agreement with Israel through the mediation of a number of countries, expressing his hope that this path will constitute an entry point to a comprehensive peace agreement, in conjunction with his assertion that Syria does not intend to intervene militarily in Lebanon, and that the future of weapons and the decision on war and peace in it must be in the hands of the Lebanese state alone.
Al-Sharaa said, in a special interview within the “Al-Muqabla” program on the “Al-Jazeera” network, that Syria is working effectively to reach a security agreement with Israel with the participation of a number of countries.
He explained that he hopes that the agreement will not be limited to limited security arrangements, but rather that it will constitute a gateway towards a comprehensive peace agreement between the two countries, stressing at the same time that any agreement with Israel will not be at the expense of Damascus’s claim to sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
Al-Sharaa stressed that Syria is avoiding confrontation with Israel, and prefers to work to reach security understandings that could pave the way for a broader solution to the crisis between the two sides.
Regarding the Lebanese issue, the Syrian President stressed that Damascus does not intend to launch any military intervention in Lebanon, against the backdrop of previous statements by US President Donald Trump.
He added that the Syrian government is currently holding discussions with the Lebanese authorities to discuss ways to help Lebanon overcome its crisis.
Al-Sharaa declared his explicit support for restricting arms control in Lebanon to the state, stressing that decisions on war and peace must remain the exclusive prerogative of the Lebanese government.
He considered that the Lebanese crisis cannot be addressed through security measures only, but rather requires a comprehensive solution that addresses the political, security and economic aspects.
He warned that Lebanon’s slide into chaos would have a direct and immediate impact on Syria. He also warned that the expansion of the war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran could have serious repercussions on the entire region.
Al-Sharaa also touched on the economic situation in Syria, considering that lifting US and international sanctions alone will not be sufficient to achieve economic recovery, unless Syria is also removed from the list of countries classified as sponsors of terrorism, because remaining on this list will prevent full economic recovery.
The Syrian President’s statements, according to the report, come in light of his increasing regional and international presence, and after the historic visit made by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Damascus last weekend, during which he declared that “the Golan Heights is Syrian territory.”
The report indicated that the visit, the first by a United Nations Secretary-General to Syria since 2009, officially aimed to show support and solidarity with the country’s reconstruction efforts, but it also constituted, according to the report, the most prominent manifestation of international recognition of the new Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known as “Abu Muhammad al-Julani,” who until November 2025 was subject to UN Security Council sanctions due to his past at the head of the “Al-Qaeda” branch in Syria, before today he enjoys official reception and increasing support from the international community.
