Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani called on Israel to halt actions that he said threaten Syria’s stability and expressed hope for a future security agreement between the two countries.
In an interview with Euronews published on Wednesday, al-Shaibani said Syria seeks “a calm and comprehensive agreement that respects Syria’s sovereignty."
“We want to have a security agreement with Israel," he told Euronews’ Europe Today program.
The remarks came as senior officials met in Brussels while Israel and Syria continue efforts to improve relations after decades of conflict.
Earlier this year, the sides resumed talks mediated by the US aimed at reducing tensions along the border and restoring the UN-patrolled buffer zone between Israeli and Syrian forces.
Al-Shaibani said Damascus distinguishes between normalization and a peace arrangement, stating that “we do not want normalization to take place under the use of military force or provocation."
Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad after an insurgent offensive led by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in 2024, Israeli officials moved away from the 1974 disengagement agreement that had established a buffer zone between the two countries.
Israel subsequently took control of areas in southern Syria and carried out strikes inside the country, saying the actions were necessary for self-defense.
“Israel has not calmed down, threatening stability in Syria, destabilizing and targeting military and civilian infrastructure under false and unreliable arguments," al-Shaibani said.
He also called for Israel to return to the 1974 agreement and withdraw from territories captured after December 8, 2024.
In separate remarks to Euronews, al-Shaibani warned that the war in Iran could further damage Syria’s economy as the country works to rebuild after years of war.
“Now we are in the process of rebuilding Syria’s economy and rebuilding economic partnerships across the region," he said. “Any war or conflict in the region of this magnitude also has a major economic impact on us."
Syria has appealed to the international community, including the European Union, to support reconstruction efforts after sanctions imposed by the EU and the Trump administration were lifted in an effort to ease pressure on the Syrian economy.