Syria's foreign minister visits Lebanon as the two nations seek to rebuild ties after Assad's ouster

BEIRUT (AP) — Syria's foreign minister arrived in Lebanon's capital on Friday as the two neighbors attempt to reset relations which have been tense for decades.

Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani held talks with his Lebanese counterpart, President Joseph Aoun, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. It was the first high-profile Syrian visit to Lebanon since insurgent groups overthrew President Bashar Assad’s government in early December 2024.

Lebanon and Syria have been working to rebuild strained ties, focusing on the status of roughly 2,000 Syrian nationals detained in Lebanese prisons, border security, locating Lebanese nationals missing in Syria for years and facilitating the return of Syrian refugees.

The current Syrian leadership resents Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group for taking part in Syria’s civil war, fighting alongside Assad’s forces, while many Lebanese still begrudge Syria’s 29-year domination of its smaller neighbor, where it had a military presence for three decades until 2005.

Following their meeting, al-Shibani and Lebanese Foreign Minister Joe Rajji announced at a news conference that an organization symbolizing Syria's influence over Lebanon has been suspended and all dealings will be restricted to official diplomatic channels.

The Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council was created in 1991 and was already largely inactive, with only limited contact between officials. Its role declined after Syria’s 2005 withdrawal, the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and the 2008 opening of the Syrian Embassy in Beirut, which marked Syria’s first official recognition of Lebanon as an autonomous state since it gained independence from France in 1943.

“In this context, we look forward to the appointment of a new Syrian ambassador to Lebanon to follow up on all matters through both embassies in Damascus and Beirut,” Aoun said in a statement following his meeting with al-Shibani.

Wider region in flux

In early September, a Syrian delegation, which included two former Cabinet ministers and the head of Syria’s National Commission for Missing Persons, visited Beirut. Lebanon and Syria also agreed at the time to establish two committees to address outstanding key issues. On Friday, officials reaffirmed the need to form those joint committees.

These efforts are part of a broader regional shift following Assad’s ouster and Hezbollah’s significant losses during its recent war with Israel.

Al-Shibani reiterated Syria’s “respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty,” saying Damascus seeks to “move past previous obstacles and strengthen bilateral ties.”

“My visit to Beirut is meant to reaffirm the depth of Syrian-Lebanese relations,” he said.

Since the fall of Assad, two Lebanese prime ministers have visited Syria. Aoun and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa also held talks on the sidelines of an Arab summit in Egypt in March.

On Friday, Aoun said he and Shibani emphasized the need to follow up on understandings reached in earlier meetings to address key issues — including border demarcation, a gas pipeline and detainees.

In 2022, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt agreed to ship 650 million cubic meters (23 billion cubic feet) of natural gas per year from Egypt through Syria to Lebanon’s Deir Ammar power plant.

Al-Shibani’s delegation included Syria's justice minister, Mazhar al-Louais al-Wais; the head of Syrian intelligence, Hussein al-Salama; and the assistant interior minister, Maj. Gen. Abdel Qader Tahan, according to the Lebanese state-run National News Agency.

“We thank Lebanon for hosting Syrians during the war and expect the issue of Syrian displacement to be resolved,” Shibani said, following his meeting with Aoun. “Plans are being discussed for a dignified and sustainable return that addresses the post-war situation in Syria."

Sectarian killings unsettle post-Assad Syria

Lebanon hosts an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees who fled the uprising-turned-civil war that erupted more than 14 years ago. Since Assad’s fall in December, around 850,000 refugees have returned to Syria from neighboring countries as of September, with the number expected to rise, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. Lebanese authorities granted an exemption to Syrians staying illegally if they left by the end of August.

Syria’s conflict, which began in March 2011, has killed nearly 500,000 people and displaced half the prewar population of 23 million. More than 5 million Syrians fled as refugees, mostly to neighboring countries, including Lebanon, which has the highest number of refugees per capita in the world.

Although many Syrians initially hoped for stability after Assad was ousted, sectarian attacks on members of Assad’s Alawite minority sect in March and the Druze minority in July claimed hundreds of lives and revived security concerns.

In Lebanon, many Syrians are held without trial in Lebanese jails. About 800 have been detained for security-related reasons, including involvement in attacks and shootings.

Meanwhile, the Lebanon-Syria border has long been a flashpoint for clashes, with periodic exchanges of fire and infiltration attempts, particularly in the northeastern Bekaa Valley. In March 2025, the two countries signed an agreement to demarcate the border and enhance security coordination, aiming to prevent disputes and curb illicit activities, including smuggling.

Hezbollah has been heavily involved in cross-border smuggling, primarily to move weapons and military supplies, leading to tensions and violent confrontations along the border. Syrian security forces have repeatedly intercepted Hezbollah-linked trucks carrying weapons into Lebanon.