Syria's Sharaa says ties with Iraq advancing, work on Israel security deal underway

DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa said Sunday that relations with Iraq are steadily developing, according to a report from the official Syrian news agency. He also stated that Syria does not plan any military intervention in Lebanon and is pursuing a comprehensive settlement with the Beirut government. Sharaa added that Syria is working on a security agreement with Israel, with the participation of some other countries, and that Damascus will not relinquish its claims over the occupied Golan Heights. On internal matters, he said the lifting of U.S. sanctions is tied to Syria's removal from the list of countries deemed to support terrorism. The president acknowledged slow progress in implementing a deal with the Kurds, but said the government is committed to its success. He also reported the formation of an internationally compliant commission to handle the missing persons file. On foreign military matters, Sharaa said talks are continuing with Russia over the future of its bases in Syria, and that the recent clashes in Deir ez-Zor are being investigated across all possibilities. Further details were not immediately available.