Levant in February 2026: the most important developments in politics
In the Levant in February 2026, politics was dominated by Iran and its ties to Lebanon and the wider region. Early in the month Iran and the United States held talks in Oman, and Hezbollah official Wafic Safa resigned. On February 26 Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said his country does not need support from Iran, and Hezbollah issued a warning about Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei. On February 28 Hezbollah expressed solidarity with Iran without saying whether it would act, while an Iranian envoy in Lebanon stressed closer ties between Tehran and Beirut. Gulf countries and Jordan condemned what they described as Iranian attacks on regional states, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with leaders from the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan. The United States told Lebanon that Israel would not escalate if no hostile acts came from the Lebanese side.
Syria's relations with its neighbours and internal groups moved in several directions. After a deal with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, Damascus appointed a Kurdish official as governor of Hasakah province. Erdogan said Turkey hoped the integration agreement would be implemented without delay, while an aid convoy for Kurds in Syria was reported blocked by Turkey. Beirut and Damascus signed a prisoner transfer agreement, and Syria exchanged dozens of detainees with Druze factions in Sweida. Saudi Arabia and Qatar met the Syrian foreign minister at the Munich Security Conference, US Secretary of State Rubio said Washington was satisfied with the overall trajectory in Syria, and the Syrian foreign minister met an EU delegation on cooperation and the return of refugees. President Trump asked the US Supreme Court to end protections for Syrian immigrants.
Jordan focused on Gaza and the West Bank. Its foreign minister pushed for a Gaza ceasefire during a visit to Slovenia and held talks with his Turkish counterpart on Israeli actions in Palestine, and King Abdullah was scheduled to travel to Turkey. Israel began a land registration process in the West Bank, which drew criticism and fears of annexation. Separately, Jordan demanded that the Islamic Action Front change its name.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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