Shafaq News- Ankara
Representatives of the Syrian government and Lebanon’s Hezbollah held secret talks in Turkiye in September in the first known face-to-face meeting between the two sides, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing six sources familiar with the discussions.
The sources, including two Syrian officials, a US official and a senior Lebanese security source close to Hezbollah, said Hezbollah representatives met Syrian intelligence and Foreign Ministry officials at least once in September at the invitation of Turkish security and intelligence agencies.
The meeting focused on easing tensions and addressing mutual security concerns and “went well,” according to the sources. No final agreement was reached, however, and no plan was made for a public announcement.
One Syrian official said the two sides agreed that they were not hostile toward one another. Damascus also assured Hezbollah that it would not intervene militarily in Lebanon to disarm the group.
In return, Syrian officials asked Hezbollah to help halt cross-border arms smuggling and dismantle its remaining sleeper cells in Syria, particularly in the south.
Hezbollah representatives did not give a direct response to the requests to stop arms smuggling and dismantle the cells but pledged that the group would not interfere in Syria’s internal affairs.
A Lebanese security source with direct knowledge of the meeting and its outcome said the two sides had made significant progress on security issues. “Hezbollah wants to protect its flank,” the source said, referring to concerns within the group that Syrian forces could move against it inside Lebanon.
Hezbollah deployed fighters to Syria for years to support former President Bashar Al-Assad’s government during the country’s civil war. Relations deteriorated after Al-Assad was ousted in late 2024, with Damascus accusing Hezbollah of transferring weapons through Syrian territory.
The United States has also encouraged Syria to take action against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The talks followed public indications from both sides that they were open to direct dialogue. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani said in July that Damascus was open to meeting Hezbollah, while Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said a month later that the group had no objection to talks with the Syrian leadership.
Three of the sources said Turkiye pushed for the meeting as Ankara sought to contribute to efforts to stabilize Syria and strengthen its role as a regional mediator.
Turkiye is a key ally of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and has sought a prominent role in Syria’s reconstruction and stabilization.
Iran, Hezbollah’s main backer, did not participate directly in the meeting.
The Lebanese security source said Hezbollah took part in the talks with Tehran’s knowledge, but Iran was disappointed that it had not been directly involved, particularly as Al-Sharaa has so far rejected establishing direct relations with Tehran.
The source said Iran’s displeasure was one of the main reasons no final agreement was reached and the meeting was not publicly announced.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry, Turkiye’s Foreign and Defense ministries and the US State Department did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. Hezbollah’s media office declined to comment.
On Tuesday, Syrian authorities said they had arrested three people in the Yarmouk Basin over an alleged Hezbollah-linked plot involving rocket launchers intended for attacks in southern Syria.
Hezbollah “categorically” denied any connection to the detained cell the following day, reiterating that it had no presence or security or military activity in Syria.