October 3, 2026
The Syrian presidency categorically denied the existence of any contacts or talks with Hezbollah, describing reports of a direct meeting between the two sides in Turkey as “incorrect allegations.” Damascus stressed that its political approach towards Lebanon is based exclusively on dealing with the Lebanese state and its official institutions.
In an intervention with Al-Arabiya channel, the media advisor to the Syrian presidency, Ahmed Muwaffaq Zaidan, explained that the reports circulating about the existence of communication channels with the party are “completely untrue,” pointing out that there are beneficial parties behind the promotion of this information.
Zaidan stressed that Syria “previously paid the price for rapprochement with militias outside the framework of the Lebanese state,” stressing that “the era of militias has ended and there is no place for it,” and that any negotiations or relations that Damascus conducts with the Lebanese side are exclusively with the state and not with any other party.
This official position comes in response to a report published by Reuters on Thursday, in which it relied on six informed sources who claimed that representatives of the Syrian government and Hezbollah held direct talks in Turkey during last September, with the aim of reducing tension between the two parties in the first announced meeting of its kind.
Following the publication of the report, the official account of the Syrian government in English on the “X” platform was quick to deny that the meeting had taken place, considering what was contained in it to be false allegations.
These developments coincide with noticeable tension in relations between the two sides against the backdrop of security developments in southern Syria. Last Tuesday, the Syrian authorities announced the arrest of a cell they said was affiliated with Hezbollah and was planning to equip missile launchers in the southern region.
On the other hand, Hezbollah issued a statement on Wednesday in which it completely denied any connection to the aforementioned cell, stressing that it does not have any security or military representation or activity inside Syrian territory.
