Syria22 June, 20263 min read
Ahmad Al Shara Denies Syria Seeks Military Intervention in Lebanon, Offers Talks With Hezbollah
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Sharaa denies Syria seeks military intervention in Lebanon, urges economic channels instead. Lebanese Prime Minister Salam welcomes Sharaa's stance, saying it dispels speculation about Damascus.
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Sharaa rejects military role
Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara denied on Sunday that his country sought to intervene militarily in Lebanon, saying, "We are looking for economic channels between Lebanon and Syria, not military ones," after US President Donald Trump suggested Damascus could get involved. In the same interview broadcast on Dubai-based Al Mashhad TV, Al Shara said he would be willing to sit down with Hezbollah if doing so helped protect the interests of both his country and Lebanon, asking, "if this serves Lebanon's interests and safeguards Syria's interests, why not?" Al Shara said Damascus wanted to address the issue of Hezbollah without pushing Lebanon into devastation reminiscent of Syria’s war, adding, "We don’t want Lebanon to fall into what Syria fell into in the past, because the aftermath of wars and conflicts is bloody,".
Hezbollah opened fire on northern Israel on March 2 in support of Tehran as it came under US-Israeli attack, and Israel responded with air strikes and a ground invasion, with hostilities persisting despite several ceasefires declared from Washington since April. The National also reported that Al Shara emphasized restoring support for the Lebanese state, strengthening its institutions, and searching for channels of communication between Lebanon's political parties, including Hezbollah.
Lebanon praises phone call
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Monday that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa's position regarding Lebanon "has put an end to speculation and misleading assumptions" about Damascus's intentions toward Beirut, after a phone call with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. Salam praised what he described as Al Sharaa's "brotherly and candid" stance toward Lebanon expressed during a television interview, and the statement from the Lebanese premier's office said the call provided an opportunity "to reaffirm the strength of relations" between the two countries. In the televised interview on Sunday, Al Sharaa said Syria harbors no hostile intentions toward Lebanon and remains committed to dialogue, adding, "We possess the courage to declare any confrontation we might choose, but we intend nothing but good and a happy life for our people in Lebanon,".
Al Sharaa also argued that Hezbollah should integrate more fully into Lebanon's political framework, saying, "Hezbollah should find its place within Lebanon," and that the group had "encroached on the Lebanese state's authority over decisions of war and peace." Türkiye Today reported that the remarks came after Trump told Fox News he was "disappointed Israel can't put Hezbollah away" and said he was "close to giving this to Syria" in dealing with the group.
Dialogue offer amid war
The New Arab said Lebanese officials welcomed Al Sharaa's rejection of military intervention in Lebanon, describing his comments as dispelling concerns and opening the way for a new phase in relations between the two countries.
“If talks with Hezbollah were expected to serve Lebanon and secure Syria's interests, then why not?”
Al Sharaa told Al Mashhad TV that Damascus had no intention of intervening militarily in Lebanon or taking part in any military campaign against Hezbollah, and he said, "If talks with Hezbollah were expected to serve Lebanon and secure Syria's interests, then why not?"
He also said, "I believe in dialogue, even with opposing parties. Dialogue must remain and continue even during war," while the New Arab reported that Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem claimed on Friday that an American-Israeli plan sought to eliminate Hezbollah and maintain Israel's occupation, including through pressure on Syria to intervene from Lebanon's eastern border.
Arab News reported that Al Sharaa said Syria proposed with the United States that the war must stop, adding that there must be various solutions, including economic, political and social, and the re-establishment of relations and the vital economic lifeline between Syria and Lebanon.
Arab News further quoted Al Sharaa saying, "Syria is greatly concerned with Lebanon’s domestic situation because Lebanon’s security and stability are part of Syria’s security and stability," and he reiterated that he would sit with Hezbollah if it served Lebanon’s and Syria’s interests.