Syria and Hezbollah Hold Secret Talks in Turkey to Ease Tensions

Representatives from the Syrian government and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah held a face-to-face meeting in Turkey last month, aiming to de-escalate rising tensions between the two former allies, Reuters reported Thursday, citing six sources familiar with the matter. This marks the first known direct meeting between representatives of Syrian President Ahmed al-Shar'a and Hezbollah.

Hezbollah had previously supported the Bashar al-Assad regime during the Syrian civil war, sending fighters to aid in battles. However, following the collapse of Assad's regime in December 2024, orchestrated by al-Shar'a's Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a significant rift has emerged. Damascus has accused the Shiite group of continuing to use Syrian territory for weapons smuggling, while U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly encouraged al-Shar'a to confront Hezbollah.

The meeting, held at the invitation of Turkish intelligence services, who are patrons of al-Shar'a's government, involved representatives from Hezbollah and Syrian intelligence and foreign ministries. The primary goal was to reduce friction and address points of contention. A Syrian source stated that both sides affirmed no animosity, with Syria promising not to intervene militarily in Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah. In return, Syrian officials requested Hezbollah's assistance in halting arms smuggling across the Lebanese border and dismantling "sleeper cells" within Syria, particularly in the south, following Syria's recent capture of a Hezbollah cell allegedly preparing to launch rockets.

Hezbollah did not provide a direct answer regarding the arms smuggling and cell dismantling but pledged not to interfere in Syria's internal affairs. A senior Lebanese security official described significant progress on security issues, noting Hezbollah's concern about potential attacks originating from Syrian territory. However, no final agreement was reached, and both Syrian and Lebanese sources indicated that Iran, Hezbollah's main ally, was aware of the meeting but disappointed at not being a direct participant, which may have contributed to the lack of a final accord.

Turkey, under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is reportedly pushing for these talks as part of its efforts to increase regional influence and strengthen security ties with al-Shar'a's Syria, a development that has raised concerns in Israel. While the exact location and duration of the meeting remain unconfirmed, both sides have recently signaled openness to such discussions.