Overview
- French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the fight against Daesh is France’s top priority during meetings in Damascus, Baghdad, Erbil and Beirut.
- He pressed for full implementation of the January 29 accord integrating Kurdish forces and institutions into the Syrian state and reviewed its terms with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi.
- Barrot noted Iraq’s role in taking custody of several thousand ISIS detainees as the United States transfers hundreds from Syria over escape concerns.
- In Beirut, he urged Tehran to make major concessions and called Iran-backed groups to show restraint as U.S.–Iran talks opened in Oman and President Donald Trump maintains heavy military pressure.
- He backed Hezbollah disarmament under the 2024 ceasefire, said Lebanon’s army needs resources to continue the plan after completing phase one, flagged a second phase to be presented soon, and prepared a March 5 Paris conference to equip security forces while planning for UNIFIL’s 2026–27 drawdown.