DAMASCUS: Syria and Israel held high-level, US-mediated talks in Jordan on Sunday aimed at easing tensions following recent Israeli strikes on Syrian territory, the Sana news agency reported, citing a diplomatic source at the foreign ministry in Damascus.

The talks focused on mechanisms to halt Israeli strikes, arrests and targeted operations, and on reviving negotiations towards a security agreement that could lay the groundwork for a broader future accord.

The two sides also discussed efforts to ease tensions between Israel and Turkiye and to prevent their rivalry from spilling onto Syrian territory.

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al Shaibani said on Saturday that Damascus expected security negotiations with Tel Aviv to resume soon, although he added that there was a lack of trust between them. Talks had been suspended since the start of the Iran war, while Syria cut off contact entirely after Israeli strikes on an airbase last week.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2026