Syria has no intention of intervening in Lebanon, says speaker Berri

Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has dismissed suggestions that Syria will intervene in Lebanese affairs, following remarks by US President Donald Trump regarding Damascus’s potential role in tackling Hezbollah.

In comments reported by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, Berri stated that “Syria has no intention of intervening in Lebanon.”

The statement follows disclosures by the US President that he had proposed Syria take on the responsibility of confronting Hezbollah. Trump claimed that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa had “promised he would help with the Hezbollah issue.”

Berri noted that his recent meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani had clearly addressed all relevant issues.

READ: Syria reassures Lebanon it has no intention of military intervention

The diplomatic row comes amid continued political stagnation within Lebanon. Relations between Berri and the presidential palace in Baabda remain strained, despite mediation efforts by Saudi envoy Prince Yazid bin Farhan. Sources stated these efforts have so far yielded tangible progress on key unresolved issues.

Berri stressed that any long-term settlement for Lebanon remains tied to the framework of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, negotiations for which opened in Islamabad.

Speaking on the side-lines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, after a bilateral meeting with the Syrian president, Trump confirmed that Sharaa had made specific commitments regarding Lebanon.

When asked about the details of the agreement, Trump declined to elaborate, saying: “I’m not going to tell you what he said, but yeah, he did.”

On whether Syria would actively counter Hezbollah, Trump added: “They can help, we’ll see, I think we’re making a lot of progress,” indicating the issue remains subject to ongoing coordination between Washington and Damascus.

President Sharaa has previously stated that Syria does not intend to be drawn into any escalation with Lebanon. Commenting on whether Damascus would be willing to hold direct talks with Hezbollah, Sharaa said: “If this serves Lebanon’s interest and secures Syrian interests, why not?”

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