Syrian and Hezbollah Officials Held Secret Talks in Turkey

Senior officials from the new Syrian government met secretly with Hezbollah representatives in Turkey last month, marking the first direct contact of its kind since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in 2024. The meeting, facilitated by Turkish intelligence, included figures from Syrian intelligence and the Foreign Ministry in Damascus, alongside Hezbollah delegates, according to Reuters sources familiar with the matter. The primary goal of the talks was to de-escalate tensions and resolve security disputes that have intensified since the Syrian leadership change.

During the discussions, Syrian representatives informed Hezbollah that Damascus would not intervene militarily in Lebanon. Conversely, they urged the organization to help halt arms smuggling and cross-border activities between Lebanon and Syria, and to dismantle remaining Hezbollah cells within Syrian territory. While progress was made, the talks did not conclude with a final agreement, and no official statement was released afterward.

Iran, a key ally of Hezbollah, was not present at the meeting. According to sources, Iran's absence caused dissatisfaction in Tehran and contributed to the failure to reach formal understandings. Turkey's involvement in mediating the talks highlights Ankara's growing influence with the new Syrian government and regional diplomacy.

The meeting occurred amidst particularly strained relations between Hezbollah and the new Syrian regime. Since Assad's ouster, Syria has accused Hezbollah of arms smuggling and maintaining dormant cells within its borders. Hezbollah, in turn, has expressed concerns about potential future intervention by Syrian forces in Lebanon. The direct engagement suggests an effort to establish a new communication channel despite deep-seated animosity.

This report follows recent accusations by Syrian authorities against Hezbollah, linking the group to a cell allegedly planning terrorist activities near the Israeli border. This incident illustrates that despite the opening of a dialogue channel in Turkey, security tensions and mutual suspicion between the two parties persist.