Syria and Hezbollah Hold Secret Talks in Turkey Amid Tensions

Representatives from Syria and the Lebanese group Hezbollah met in Turkey in September 2026 for secret talks aimed at de-escalating tensions, according to six sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters. This meeting, reportedly the first between representatives of Syrian President Ахмед аш-Шараа and Hezbollah's leadership, was held at the invitation of Turkish intelligence and security services.

Hezbollah had previously supported the regime of Башар Асад during Syria's civil war, deploying fighters for 13 years. However, following Аш-Шараа's rise to power in December 2024 after overthrowing Асад's weakened regime, relations have become strained. Syria accuses Hezbollah of continuing to use Syrian territory for arms smuggling, a concern echoed by U.S. President Дональд Трамп, who urged Syria to combat Hezbollah instead of Israel.

The primary goal of the Turkish-brokered meeting was to reduce friction and address outstanding issues. Syrian officials requested Hezbollah's assistance in halting arms smuggling across the Lebanese border and dismantling "sleeper cells" within Syria, particularly in the south near Israel. This request followed Syria's September 29 announcement of detaining a Hezbollah group allegedly preparing to launch rockets, an accusation Hezbollah denied the next day, stating it had no presence in Syria.

Sources indicated that Hezbollah representatives did not provide a definitive response regarding the requests to stop smuggling and dismantle cells. Iran, a key ally of Hezbollah, was not directly involved in the talks but was aware of them. A Lebanese security source stated that Iran was disappointed not to be a direct participant, as Аш-Шараа currently rejects direct contact with Tehran. This disappointment is believed to be a factor in the lack of a final agreement and the secrecy surrounding the meeting.

Contact between Syria and Hezbollah, mediated by Turkey, reportedly began about two months prior to the September meeting. Both sides had publicly signaled willingness for such discussions, with Syrian Foreign Minister Асаад аш-Шейбани expressing openness in July 2026 and Hezbollah Secretary-General Наим Касем stating no objection a month later. Reuters could not independently verify the meeting's location, duration, or the occurrence of other prior or subsequent meetings.