Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani stated in a Saturday interview that he expects negotiations with Israel over a security agreement to resume soon. The minister indicated that while communication was halted following a recent Israeli airstrike on a Syrian airbase, the Syrian government remains open to diplomacy to achieve a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Syrian land.
The proposed security deal has been under discussion for more than a year, facilitated by the United States following the 2024 removal of Bashar al-Assad from power. However, talks were frozen at the start of the Iran war. According to Shaibani, the two sides had reached a tentative agreement on nearly all terms early in 2026, but implementation stalled as Israel cited security concerns regarding the new Syrian administration led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The draft agreement involves the creation of multiple security zones along the border. These would include a buffer zone where only United Nations personnel would be present, alongside other areas with varying levels of Syrian military deployment. Shaibani said the priority for Damascus is halting Israeli military actions, including airstrikes and arrests in southern Syria, which Israel has stated are necessary to prevent attacks by groups it identifies as threats.
A formal agreement would change the day-to-day legal rights and physical safety of Syrian citizens by establishing clear lines for military presence and ending the recurring airstrikes that have targeted government infrastructure, such as the Abu al-Duhur airbase. For the broader Middle East, a successful deal between Israel and the U.S.-allied government of President al-Sharaa would represent a shift in regional alliances and could stabilize borders that have been a source of conflict since 1948. Without a resolution, the risk of escalation remains high, as evidenced by recent Israeli strikes prompted by claims of Turkish military build-ups in Syria.
The knock-on effects extend to international military cooperation and humanitarian aid. A security arrangement would clarify the role of Turkish, Jordanian, and Saudi forces currently providing military training to Syria, potentially reducing the frequency of Israeli preventative strikes against these foreign deployments. While no date is set for the return to the table, U.S. special envoy Tom Barrack stated that Washington is currently working on a "deconfliction mechanism" to prevent accidental clashes between Israel, Turkey, and Syria. The next steps depend on whether Israel responds to U.S. pressure to resume dialogue and if both parties can agree on a mechanism to stop hostilities before addressing long-standing disputes such as the Golan Heights.
Shaibani noted that Syria continues to receive military support and training from Turkey, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia to rebuild its military after 14 years of war. While Israel has expressed concern that these deployments threaten its security, Shaibani stated that Syria respects Israel's security needs but demands reciprocal respect for Syrian sovereignty and airspace. The Israeli prime minister’s office has not issued a response to the minister's comments regarding the resumption of talks.