Syria has denied reports that its officials met representatives of Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement in Turkey in September. Ankara also rejected the account, leaving sharply conflicting versions of whether a meeting took place.
Conflicting accounts
A Reuters report, citing six sources briefed on the discussions, said Syrian intelligence and foreign ministry officials met Hezbollah representatives at least once. The sources described the meeting as an effort to ease tensions between the longtime adversaries. The report said discussions covered cross-border weapons smuggling, alleged Hezbollah cells in Syria and assurances about non-interference in Lebanon.
Damascus and Ankara reject the claim
Syria’s Foreign Media Department said no such meeting occurred and called the claims false. Turkey’s communications office likewise described reports of Syrian officials meeting Hezbollah leaders as unfounded. Hezbollah did not publicly confirm a meeting in the reporting available.
Why the allegation matters
Relations have been strained since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Hezbollah fought alongside Assad’s forces during Syria’s civil war, while Syria’s new authorities have accused the group of using Syrian territory to move weapons. A dialogue, if it occurred, could have marked a major attempt at de-escalation. For now, the reported meeting remains disputed, and no agreement has been announced.
