French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Thursday began a regional tour of the Middle East that includes Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, as France seeks to play an active role in several sensitive regional files. The French foreign minister tour comes amid heightened regional tensions and persistent security concerns.
The visit focuses on countering the Islamic State group, addressing the Kurdish file in Syria, and supporting efforts to disarm Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to the French Foreign Ministry.
Damascus Talks After Tensions in Northeast Syria
Barrot arrived in Damascus as the first stop of his tour, where he met Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. This marks his second visit to Syria since the overthrow of former president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
H3: Kurdish File and Counterterrorism
The visit follows recent tensions in northeastern Syria between government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which ended with a comprehensive agreement to integrate Kurdish institutions and forces into the Syrian state.
Paris considers Syria’s stability essential to regional security and views the inclusion of minorities in the new political framework as a key priority. Since 2024, France has positioned itself as a supporter of Kurdish rights, citing the role Kurdish forces played in the Western-led coalition against the Islamic State group.
However, the recent agreement is widely seen as ending Kurdish ambitions to preserve the autonomous administration they built during the Syrian conflict from 2011 to 2024.
Baghdad and Erbil on the Agenda
From Damascus, the French foreign minister traveled to Baghdad for talks with the Iraqi prime minister and foreign minister.
Security Coordination and Foreign Fighters
Discussions are expected to focus on stability and continued efforts against the Islamic State group, as well as the issue of French jihadist fighters transferred from Syria to Iraqi prisons pending trial.
Barrot is also expected to visit Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to meet regional authorities. French officials emphasize that the Islamic State threat remains shared between Syria and Iraq.
Lebanon and Hezbollah Disarmament
The French foreign minister is scheduled to arrive in Beirut on Friday to meet Lebanese officials and discuss the implementation of the government’s plan to disarm Hezbollah.
Support for the Lebanese Army
Barrot will also address preparations for a conference to support the Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces, set to be held in Paris in early March. The conference aims to provide financial and logistical assistance, particularly for state security missions.
The Lebanon visit takes place against the backdrop of rising US-Iran tensions, with France seeking to reassure countries at risk of being drawn into wider regional escalation.
Conclusion:
The French foreign minister tour reflects Paris’s effort to reinforce its diplomatic presence in the Middle East by prioritizing regional security, counterterrorism, and political stability in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon during a particularly sensitive period.
