Syrian President Says Damascus Could Help Disarm Hezbollah, But Not by War

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa publicly pushed back on expectations from Washington about Syria’s role in Lebanon and in dealing with Hezbollah. In a special interview with the Emirati channel Al-Mashhad, he addressed the future of disarmament in Lebanon and Syria’s relations with neighboring states.

Al-Sharaa rejected the recent US idea that Syria should take on Hezbollah and strip it of its weapons by force. “We only wish good for the people of Lebanon, and the role Syria will play is entirely positive,” he said. He added, “Syria may help in disarming Hezbollah, but not through war and not through Syrian guardianship over Lebanon, as was the case under the previous Assad regime.”

He also said he was not ruling out direct political dialogue with Hezbollah in the future if it served the clear national interests of both Syria and Lebanon. His remarks suggest the new leadership in Damascus wants room to maneuver regionally without appearing to work as a subcontractor for the United States or Israel.

Asked about the possibility of a formal peace treaty between Israel and Lebanon, al-Sharaa was strongly skeptical. He said such a deal was not realistic now, arguing that key issues must first be fully resolved before there can be real peace in the region. “We aspire for the region to be calm and safe without wars,” he said, but questioned the value of any agreement if, for example, “a single missile” were launched from Lebanon at Israel the same night, adding that any side signing an agreement must first be able to meet its commitments.