Nabih Berri: Syria is not in the interest of intervening in Lebanon

Lebanese Speaker of the House of Representatives Nabih Berri denied that Syria has any intention of interfering in Lebanon's internal affairs, in a direct response to US President Donald Trump's statements in which he hinted at the possibility of Damascus playing a role in confronting Hezbollah.

In a brief statement published by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, Berri  said that "Syria has enough problems and concerns, and it has no intention at all to interfere in Lebanese affairs," considering Trump's speech as merely "talk for words" that are not based on political or field data.

The newspaper quoted Berri as saying that Syria "is not in the interest of interfering in Lebanon," noting that his recent meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani addressed various common issues clearly and frankly. 

Berri Circles: Saudi Efforts Between Berri and Syria

According to the newspaper, circles close to Berri believed that Trump's statements fall within the framework of the political pressure directed at Lebanon and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pointing out that relations between the presidency of the House of Representatives and the presidency of the republic are still witnessing frost, despite the efforts led by the Saudi envoy Prince Yazid bin Farhan to bring the views closer.

The sources added that these efforts have so far achieved only limited communication between the advisor to the President of the Republic André Rahal and MP Ali Hassan Khalil, without making any real progress in the controversial files.

According to the newspaper, Berri stressed that any settlement related to the Lebanese situation will remain linked to the path of Iranian-American understandings, especially the memorandum of understanding whose negotiations began in Islamabad.

Trump reiterates Syria's intervention in Lebanon

US President Donald Trump said, on the sidelines of the NATO summit held in Ankara, that he proposed assigning the task of confronting Hezbollah to Syria, noting that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa made pledges during their meeting on the Lebanese file, without revealing their details.

Trump added that Damascus may be able to contribute to this file, stressing that consultations between the two sides are still ongoing, while President Al-Sharia has previously stressed that Syria does not intend to engage in any escalation with Lebanon, stressing at the same time his openness to dialogue with Hezbollah if it serves the interests of Lebanon and Syria.

There was no Syrian comment on Trump's recent statements, noting that they have been confirmed more than once by President Al-Sharia that the time of guardianship is over and that Syria refuses to return to the previous methods of interference in Lebanese affairs.