Syria’s foreign minister has voiced support for the disarmament of Hezbollah while condemning Israel’s ongoing strikes on Lebanon and sharply criticising Iran’s role in Syria, in remarks that highlight shifting regional dynamics amid a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Ankara on Thursday, Asaad al-Shaibani said: "We support the disarmament of Hezbollah and look forward to a strategic partnership with Beirut."
He also denounced Israeli attacks on Lebanon, describing them as an escalation that undermines efforts to stabilise the region, while linking broader instability to regional interventions.
Shaibani criticised Iran's role in Syria, saying its intervention had resulted in "one million deaths" and left around "15 million" others displaced or as refugees, as he called for restoring stability and sovereignty across the region.
Iran intervened in Syria to support the now fallen tyrant Bashar al-Assad against popular uprisings, using its own forces and proxies to fuel a devastating civil war in the country. Russia also played a decisive role in propping up Assad through direct military intervention, yet Damascus has avoided similar criticism and is instead moving to reset ties with Moscow.
Shaibani's comments came as he stood alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, with both officials addressing regional tensions, reconstruction in Syria, and the prospects for a broader ceasefire.
Fidan welcomed the recently announced two-week truce between Washington and Tehran, brokered through a Pakistani initiative, expressing hope that it could be expanded into a comprehensive ceasefire that includes Lebanon.
However, he warned that Israeli actions risk derailing those efforts, saying parties must be prepared for attempts to obstruct negotiations.
He stressed that if Israeli expansion continues, achieving lasting peace and stability in the Middle East would be "impossible", and called for an end to what he described as Israel’s occupation of Lebanon and for the protection of civilians.
Shaibani said that efforts to reach a security agreement with Israel had faltered, blaming what he described as Israel’s "expansionist ambitions".
"The security agreement with Israel has stalled due to Israel’s expansionist ambitions," he said, adding that continued Israeli violations of Syrian sovereignty, including airspace incursions and ground operations, had obstructed US mediation.
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Israel has moved to extend its control over additional areas in southern Syria, with troops advancing beyond the occupied Golan Heights and establishing new positions in buffer zones.
The moves have been widely described as a de facto land grab, raising concerns over the erosion of Syrian sovereignty and the potential for further escalation along the frontier
The Syrian minister said Damascus was pressing ahead with rebuilding state institutions and consolidating control over territory and resources, including restoring government authority over border crossings, oil and gas fields, and civilian institutions, while continuing to implement its agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces.