al-Sharaa: We Are Open to Dialogue With Hezbollah For Regional Settlement

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa moved to clarify remarks that had been widely interpreted as signalling a Syrian military entry into Lebanon, in a live interview.

He said that President Trump's comments on a possible Syrian role had been misread and that Damascus intended nothing beyond supporting Lebanese state institutions and opening channels of communication, including, if necessary, with Hezbollah.

"The statement was interpreted as if Syrian forces would enter Lebanon the next morning, and that is not what was meant," Sharaa said.

He described Trump as having expressed frustration with the ongoing war in Lebanon and as having been "looking for other solutions," adding that Syria's role would be "a purely positive one, defined by Lebanese and Syrian interests."

The clarification came as Israeli strikes in Lebanon continued to destabilise the region's fragile diplomatic architecture.

Israeli strikes that killed at least 3 people in southern Lebanon in the 24 hours following the signing of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, prompted Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz and contributed directly to the postponement of technical follow-up talks in Switzerland, where Vice President JD Vance cancelled his trip after logistics could not be finalised.

Iran had already signalled it needed to see proof of US implementation before engaging, with Israel's continued operations making that proof difficult to demonstrate.

A Third Option for Lebanon

Sharaa framed Syria's potential contribution to Lebanon in explicitly non-military terms, proposing economic integration as an alternative to the cycle of violence that has defined Lebanon's recent history.

"Why is Lebanon always forced to choose between civil war and an Israeli war? Why can there not be a third option?" he said.

He drew on historical geography to make the economic case. "Historically, Beirut has been the maritime gateway of Damascus, and Tripoli has been the maritime gateway of Homs," Sharaa said.

"Syria is now becoming a strategic regional and international hub linking East and West. The Mediterranean coast has become extremely important for trade, supply chains, and logistics, and Lebanon should benefit from this reality. We have already tried the military path and witnessed its disasters and tragedies. Let us try the economic path instead."

On Hezbollah: Deep Wound, Yet Open Door

Sharaa acknowledged Syria's grievances with Hezbollah, describing them as deep and unresolved, while stopping short of closing the door on dialogue.

"We have a deep problem with Hezbollah, but we do not want all of Lebanon to die. We want to solve the problem of Hezbollah while keeping Lebanon alive," he said.

Asked whether Syria would be willing to sit with Hezbollah directly, he said: "If the need arises for us to sit with Hezbollah, I believe in dialogue, yes. Even between opposing parties, dialogue should remain open and continue even during war, conflict, and confrontation, because the alternative is war."

"I believe that Hezbollah's decision to enter the Syrian conflict was wrong, and I believe that everyone realizes this, including the party's own constituency and even its leaders," Sharaa said.

He also pushed back against the assumption that Hezbollah and Lebanon's Shiite community were one and the same.

"I do not subscribe to the idea that all Shiites in Lebanon are Hezbollah, nor that Hezbollah represents all Shiites in Lebanon," he said.

"I believe that the Shiite community today is in greater need than ever of a rescue effort within the Lebanese situation, and together with it we must rescue Lebanon."

On the Iran War: Futile, and Fortunately Over

Sharaa assessed the 15-week war between the US, Israel and Iran, which ended with a preliminary memorandum of understanding as futile:

"Many wars that stumble or fail to achieve their full objectives end with both sides celebrating victory. In my view, all parties lose in futile wars," he said.

"From the very beginning, this war contained many mistakes, whether in its objectives or in its formation. We never encouraged it; on the contrary, we worked to prevent it and to keep negotiations alive, because the region has paid a heavy price for wars."

When asked about Israel's role, Sharaa told: "Israel is part of the American decision.”