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Russian FM: Iran, Lebanon Do Not Want to Expand the Scope of War

The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
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Russian FM: Iran, Lebanon Do Not Want to Expand the Scope of War

The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned of the consequences of prolonged escalation in the Gaza war, cautioning that the US may want to widen the conflict beyond the regional borders.

Lavrov stressed in a press interview published Wednesday that Iran and Lebanon do not want to get involved in the current conflict, but he warned of the danger of Tel Aviv treating this restraint "as weakness, and as a green light to do anything in Gaza, this would be a huge mistake."

Lavrov strongly criticized the United States, saying, "Washington doesn't want to tie Israel's hands," reiterating his belief that it may want to extend the Gaza crisis outside the scope of the Middle East region.

Regarding the United States war policy, Lavrov saw that the US administration was unprepared for anything other than a humanitarian truce without commitments.

He recalled that Washington rejected a resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire and was only ready to say "a humanitarian pause" without any promise to continue these efforts.

Russia presented two resolutions calling for a ceasefire in the conflict in the Gaza Strip, but Washington still considers "anything coming from Russia is taken as a hostile act, hostile initiative."

Lavrov asserted that the creation of the Palestinian state is "unavoidable," explaining that "in historical terms, in sustainable settlement terms, the second aspect of this problem, which is much more important, the creation of the Palestinian state is unavoidable."

Most of the discussions related to the future of the Gaza Strip do not currently address the establishment of a Palestinian state adjacent to Israel, said Lavrov, recalling that President Vladimir Putin had previously stressed the necessity of returning to a political path based on the establishment of a Palestinian state within the framework of the two-state solution.

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Ankara: Assad Does Not Want Peace in Syria

Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
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Ankara: Assad Does Not Want Peace in Syria

Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has stated that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is unwilling to pursue peace in Syria and warned that Israel’s efforts to spread war across the Middle East are undermining the environment fostered by the Astana Process.

Fidan emphasized the importance of Russian and Iranian efforts within the framework of the Astana Process to maintain calm on the ground, pointing to ongoing consultations with the US regarding the Syrian crisis.

Speaking during a parliamentary session discussing the 2025 budget of the Foreign Ministry, Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s expectation that the dialogue proposed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be approached strategically by the Syrian government, with priority given to the interests of the Syrian people.

Regarding Erdogan’s invitation to Assad for a meeting to discuss the normalization of ties between Ankara and Damascus, Fidan remarked that the matter depends on political will, stressing that the Turkish president has demonstrated his readiness at the highest level.

Last week, Erdogan reiterated the possibility of a meeting with Assad, but Russia, which mediates the normalization talks between Ankara and Damascus, ruled out such a meeting or high-level engagements in the near future.

Russian Presidential Envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev attributed the impasse to Türkiye’s refusal to meet Damascus’ demand for a withdrawal from northern Syria, accusing Ankara of acting as an “occupying state”.

Although Türkiye has not officially responded to Lavrentiev’s comments, which reflect a shift in Russia’s stance, Fidan stated in a televised interview last week that Russia remains “somewhat neutral” regarding the normalization process. He also urged the Syrian government to create conditions for the return of 10 million Syrian refugees.

Türkiye maintains that its military presence in northern Syria prevents the country’s division, blocks the establishment of a “terror corridor” along its southern border, and deters new waves of refugees from entering its territory.

Fidan outlined his country’s key objectives in Syria, which include eradicating terrorist groups (such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and the Syrian Democratic Forces), preserving Syria’s territorial unity, advancing the political process, and ensuring the safe and voluntary return of Syrian refugees.

Meanwhile, Turkish artillery targeted villages and positions controlled by the Manbij Military Council, affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), whose main component is the People’s Protection Units (YPG).

On Friday, fierce clashes erupted between the Syrian National Army factions and the SDF in western Tel Abyad, northern Raqqa. Simultaneously, Turkish artillery strikes reportedly killed two SDF members and injured others, with reports of captives and missing personnel.

In retaliation, the SDF shelled Turkish bases in the Ain Issa countryside. Turkish forces responded by deploying military reinforcements amid heightened alert at their bases in Raqqa’s countryside, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).