Hezbollah MP claims delegations to Turkey promised to ‘support the resistance’ in Lebanon

Hezbollah Member of Parliament Ali Fayyad has asserted that Turkey provided assurances to the group's delegations, indicating support for Hezbollah's continued presence in Lebanon. Fayyad also claimed that Turkey conveyed that Damascus had no intention of taking action against the organization. These statements, made to Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen, cast a spotlight on Turkey's complex regional diplomacy.

Ankara's alleged engagement with Hezbollah, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, occurs despite Turkey's membership in NATO and its close relationships with Western allies. Reports from organizations like the Alma Education and Research Center and the Research Institute for European and American Studies have previously suggested that Turkey has served as a conduit for Hezbollah's finances and has allowed the group to recruit from its territory, often under political or quasi-diplomatic cover.

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Ankara gave Hezbollah delegations assurances that Turkey supported the Iran-backed group’s continued role in Lebanon, and that Damascus had no plans to take action against the terrorist organization.

These claims by Fayyad come shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly suggested to the Qatari Emir that Syria might be better equipped to handle the Hezbollah threat than Israel. Trump's reported remarks highlighted the intricate geopolitical dynamics involving Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and the United States.

However, geopolitical analysts urge caution in interpreting Fayyad's statements. Burak Can Çelik, a writer based in Istanbul, told The Jerusalem Post that Turkey traditionally seeks to maintain open communication channels with various regional actors, even those with differing interests. He suggested that such contacts are primarily aimed at de-escalation and preserving regional stability, rather than signifying an endorsement of any particular group's agenda. This perspective suggests Turkey is pursuing a balancing strategy, maintaining ties with the West while engaging with Middle Eastern actors to preserve diplomatic leverage.

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Ankara has traditionally tried to maintain open channels with a range of regional actors, even those with whom it does not share identical interests. Such contacts are often aimed at preventing escalation and preserving regional stability rather than endorsing the positions of those actors.