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Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Israel’s demands are blocking a peace agreement between the two countries while stressing that Damascus remains willing to continue negotiations and defend Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Speaking to Saudi-based Asharq Bloomberg on the sidelines of the Manama Dialogue 2026, Shaibani said Israel should view Syria “realistically” as a sovereign and stable state that would not relinquish its rights, according to reports by Asharq Bloomberg and Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency.
Shaibani said Israeli control of additional Syrian territory following Dec. 8, 2024, was “illegitimate” and called for Israeli forces to withdraw.
He also reiterated that the Golan Heights is Syrian territory.
Shaibani thanked U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack for what he described as a positive position, noting that Barrack ultimately speaks on behalf of the administration he represents.
He said Syria had sufficient determination and willingness to continue negotiations while remaining committed to defending the country and its people.
Shaibani said creating secure and stable borders required Israel to respect Syria’s territorial integrity and take Damascus’ concerns over incursions and violations into account.
Responding to remarks by Barrack, Shaibani said Syria had not reached a state of exhaustion and still had the will to negotiate and defend itself.
He said Damascus remained committed to continuing discussions but maintained that Israeli demands were preventing progress toward a peace agreement.
Shaibani also said Syria was discussing possible participation in the Mecca defense pact or other regional security arrangements involving Gulf countries.
He said Syria sought deeper political, military and security cooperation with Gulf states and considered Gulf security and stability an integral part of its own security.
“We do not accept attacks on Gulf states while Syria stands by as a spectator,” he said.
Shaibani described Syria as a reliable partner for Gulf countries and said Damascus would contribute within international laws and according to its capabilities, despite still recovering from a 14-year war.
He said discussions were continuing over Syria joining a regional security and defense framework, either through the Mecca pact or another arrangement serving the same purpose.
On relations with Jordan, Shaibani said the leadership in Amman understood the need to resolve recent disagreements and prevent a recurrence of tensions following Jordanian airstrikes in southern Syria’s Daraa province.
He said relations between Syria and Jordan were “deeper than skirmishes and temporary disagreements” and expressed hope that ties would return to their best level.
Shaibani described border security as a shared responsibility, saying Damascus wanted Jordan’s border to be secure for Syria and Syria’s border to be secure for Jordan.
He said discussions were continuing on developing coordination mechanisms, while stressing that both countries’ sovereignty must be respected.
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