High-level delegations from Syria, Israel hold talks in Jordan — agency

CAIRO, August 24. /TASS/. High-level Syrian and Israeli delegations held talks mediated by the United States in Jordan on Sunday, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported. According to its source at the Syrian Foreign Ministry, the Arab Republic’s delegation was led by Foreign Minister of the Transitional Government Asaad al-Shaibani. During the meeting, the parties discussed the need to halt Israeli aggression against Syria and return to the negotiating table to conclude a more comprehensive agreement in the future. Moreover, during the consultations, the parties discussed the future of the Golan Heights: Damascus continues to insist that Israeli troops withdraw to the positions they held prior to December 8, 2024. During the talks, the Syrian side emphasized its efforts to "bridge the gap" between the positions of Israel and Turkey, while noting that it did not want "disagreements between the countries to affect the security and stability" of the Arab Republic, the source added. The delegates also pointed out that Syria, as a sovereign state, "has every right to develop its military and enter into military alliances that serve its interests" and considers any "attempts to challenge this right unacceptable." Since July 2025, Syria and Israel have held several rounds of de-escalation talks, yet they have not reached agreement.