Syrian FM rules out strategic Israel deal amid ongoing attacks
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said on Friday that it was still too early to discuss any strategic agreement with Israel as Israeli attacks on Syrian territory continued.
In remarks to Pakistani media, al-Shaibani said Damascus’ absolute priority was to halt Israeli attacks, stressing that Syria was a sovereign state and no party could dictate its alliances.
He also described Turkey as a key partner in Syria’s reconstruction, saying Damascus was carefully assessing its position before committing to any new regional alliance amid ongoing shifts in the region.
Among those developments is the recently signed Mecca Joint Defense Agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
Al-Shaibani said Syria has not yet decided whether to join the defense agreement and that a decision would come later. He highlighted the more than 1,000-kilometer border shared by Syria and Turkey, along with their deep historical ties, which he described as a strong foundation for cooperation across various fields.
On relations with Iran, the minister said Tehran must first acknowledge what it had done to the Syrian people before diplomatic contacts between the two countries could resume.
He also praised Pakistan’s role in facilitating dialogue between Washington and Tehran.