Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Damascus on Saturday, with the two leaders discussing security coordination, border controls, economic cooperation, and energy.

The visit marks a further step in rebuilding ties between Beirut and Damascus since the December 2024 overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.

What did Syria and Lebanon agree on during the Damascus talks?

Salam hailed “significant progress” on joint issues at the end of the visit.

A statement from the Syrian presidency said the two sides discussed developing economic and trade cooperation, bolstering security coordination, and addressing regional and international developments.

Salam was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri and Lebanese ministers for energy, economy, and transport, reflecting the breadth of the agenda.

What was said about Lebanon-Syria border security and smuggling?

Both leaders stressed the need for stricter border controls along the 330-kilometer frontier, notorious for the smuggling of people and goods.

Salam said the discussions addressed “the need for stricter Syria-Lebanon border controls and preventing all types of smuggling.”

Last month, the main border crossing was closed for several days after Israel threatened to target it, accusing Hezbollah of using it for military purposes, though the strike did not ultimately take place.

What other issues did Lebanon and Syria discuss?

Salam said the two sides discussed continuing efforts to address detained Syrians in Lebanon and uncovering the fate of missing and forcibly detained persons in both countries.

In March, Lebanon transferred more than 130 Syrian convicts to Syria to serve the remainder of their sentences there. Lebanon has also been seeking information on political assassinations carried out under the Assad dynasty, which exercised control over Lebanese affairs for decades and is accused of killing numerous Lebanese officials who opposed its rule.

How does Hezbollah factor into Syria-Lebanon relations?

Hezbollah, which fought alongside Syrian government forces during the country’s civil war, lost a major ally and cross-border supply route with Assad’s ouster.

Syria’s new authorities are hostile to the group and its Iranian sponsor, and have announced the arrest of alleged Hezbollah-affiliated cells in recent months.

The group has denied having any presence in Syria. Salam said Lebanon “will not allow Lebanon to be used as a platform to harm any of its Arab brothers, including Syria.”

Hezbollah and Israel have been fighting since the group drew Lebanon into the Middle East war with rocket fire at Israel on March 2, though a ceasefire was announced last month.