Türkiye has rejected reports that it hosted a secret meeting between Syrian government officials and representatives of Lebanese Hezbollah last month, describing the allegations as unfounded and fabricated.

The Presidential Communications Directorate’s Center for Combating Disinformation said on Thursday that claims circulating in international media and on social media that Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) had hosted the meeting were “entirely unfounded.”

“The claims in these posts regarding the date, venue, content and contacts do not reflect any reality and are entirely fabricated and speculative,” the center said in a written statement, urging the public to rely on official sources.

The Syrian government also denied that the meeting had taken place, with its English-language account on X stating that the allegations were false.

The denials followed a Reuters report published on Thursday that said Syrian officials and Hezbollah representatives had held at least one secret meeting in Türkiye in September. Reuters cited six sources familiar with the alleged discussions, including two Syrian officials, a US official and a senior Lebanese security source close to Hezbollah.

According to the report, the meeting was allegedly arranged at the invitation of Turkish security and intelligence agencies as part of efforts to ease tensions between Damascus and Hezbollah. Reuters said it could not independently establish the location or duration of the meeting.

Reuters reported that the discussions focused on security concerns involving Syria and Lebanon. According to a Syrian official cited by the agency, Damascus had assured Hezbollah that it would not intervene militarily in Lebanon to disarm the group.

Syrian officials reportedly also asked Hezbollah to help prevent cross-border arms smuggling and dismantle what Damascus described as remaining Hezbollah-linked cells in Syria. The report said Hezbollah representatives did not directly agree to those requests but pledged not to interfere in Syrian affairs. No final agreement was reached, according to the sources.

These claims remain disputed in light of the official denials from Ankara and Damascus.

Relations between Syria's new leadership and Hezbollah have been strained since the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

Hezbollah had fought alongside Assad's forces during Syria's civil war, while armed opposition groups, including factions supported by Türkiye, fought against the former government and its allies. The change of power in Damascus subsequently altered the political and security dynamics along the Syrian-Lebanese border.

More recently, Syrian authorities have accused Hezbollah of involvement in arms transfers through Syrian territory. Hezbollah has rejected allegations that it maintains a military presence or conducts security operations in Syria. The competing claims have added to concerns about border security and the potential for further confrontation.

The reported meeting also comes amid wider regional discussions about Hezbollah's future military role in Lebanon. US President Donald Trump has previously raised the possibility of a Syrian role in efforts to disarm the group, while Hezbollah has faced continued tensions with Israel, particularly over southern Lebanon.

Despite the denials, public statements from both sides have indicated some openness to dialogue. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said in July that Damascus was open to meeting Hezbollah, while Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said in August that the group had no objection to talks with Syria's leadership.

Neither Türkiye nor Syria has confirmed the reported meeting, and no independently verified details have emerged to establish that the discussions described by Reuters took place. (ILKHA)