LONDON / ISTANBUL

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Tuesday that Damascus is working to keep Syria out of the ongoing regional war, warning that the country could still become a target amid escalating tensions.

Speaking at Chatham House in London, Sharaa responded to a question from an Anadolu correspondent about whether Syria could be directly targeted following Israeli strikes on Iran and whether Damascus had maintained any contact with Tehran since the start of war with the US and Israel.

“We don’t have official relations with Iran since the beginning of the war,” he said.

Sharaa acknowledged the risks facing Syria but emphasized a policy of avoiding escalation.

“Could Syria be targeted? It’s possible, but we are trying not to initiate hostility with anyone, and we are trying to keep Syria away from any battlefield,” he said.

He warned that the current regional climate is driven by heightened emotions and unpredictable decision-making.

“Everything is possible right now, because it is not wise judgment that is controlling matters today. The atmosphere is charged with anger, reactions, and random policies,” he added.

The Syrian president noted that such dynamics are affecting multiple countries, including Gulf states that had previously remained outside the conflict but have since been targeted.

He said Syria is seeking to take the safest course for its people and is carefully weighing its options to avoid being drawn into the conflict.

“We are trying to choose the safest situation for our people and to measure things carefully so that we do not reach a point where we are targeted and forced to respond,” he said.

The US and Israel have maintained an air offensive on Iran since Feb. 28, killing so far over 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.