Al-Shaybani in Lebanon: Meeting with the primary adversary and another with Hezbollah’s senior brother
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani begins a two-day visit to Beirut today, his second since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime. The visit will include a trip to the city of Tripoli and Friday prayers at the Al-Salam Mosque, which the Assad regime was accused of bombing in 2013.
During his visit, al-Shaibani will meet with President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. His meeting with Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri is particularly notable; Berri was described by Hezbollah leaders as the "elder brother" following the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah. Al-Shaibani will also meet with Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces and Hezbollah’s primary rival.
The visit carries several key messages, foremost among them reassuring Lebanese officials that Syria has no intention of militarily intervening in Lebanon. Damascus will emphasize its commitment to developing state-to-state relations, strengthening institutional coordination, and exploring joint projects that could benefit both countries. Syria is betting on significant development in economic and investment sectors, particularly in oil, gas, and trade corridors, from which Lebanon could benefit.
According to sources, al-Shaibani will convey a direct message from Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa that since his first days in power, he has extended a hand to Lebanon, expressing readiness for cooperation and mutual respect for sovereignty. He stressed that the opportunity to move to a new, advanced stage of relations must not be missed.
The Syrian minister will also underscore the necessity of enhancing security and military measures at the border to prevent and fully control smuggling, without negatively impacting the security of both countries, and to eliminate any elements posing a threat to their security.
He will further emphasize that Syria is not interested in sectarian or confessional conflicts, nor in revenge or reopening old wounds.
According to Syrian sources, al-Shaibani will highlight Damascus’s interest in strengthening Lebanese state institutions and building bilateral relations based on respect, free from narrow internal or external calculations and without any external interference.
Political sources say al-Shaibani will propose an equation involving mutual guarantees between the two countries: reassuring Damascus that Syria has no military intentions in Lebanon and will not pose a threat to its sovereignty or integrity, in exchange for guarantees that no interference will occur in Syria’s internal affairs, whether through smuggling operations or remnants of the Assad regime or others.
Meanwhile, President Aoun denied rumors about plans to dismiss Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal, affirming that the memorandum of understanding signed with Israel a few days ago is not a formal agreement but rather a "framework formula."
Aoun reiterated that Lebanon is a sovereign state with the right to negotiate with anyone, within the bounds of respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and the rights of its citizens. He also affirmed Lebanon’s right to monopolize weapons in the hands of the state, a demand shared by all.
In defiance of Lebanese authorities, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf stated two days ago that his country remains committed to forming a ceasefire committee for Lebanon comprising Beirut, Tehran, and Washington, adding that Iran would be represented on the committee by Mohammad Reza Sheibani.
Lebanese authorities had previously rejected accrediting Sheibani as Iran’s ambassador and ordered him to leave the country. However, the Iranian official refused to comply, with support from Berri and Hezbollah.
