Report: Secret Deal Between Israel and Iran in Syria

Israel and Iran have been holding secret negotiations via Jordan which have produced an agreement that Iranian forces will not join the fighting in southern Syria, according to Saudi news outlet Elaph quoted by Maariv on Sunday night.

According to the report, the talks were conducted in the royal palace in the Jordanian capital Amman last weekend. The Iranian ambassador to Jordan sat in one room with other officials from Tehran, and Israeli defense officials sat in a separate room, while Jordanian mediators shuttled between the two with messages.

The discussions were said to focus on the towns of Daara and Kuneitra, near the Syrian-Israeli border.

It was agreed that forces of Iran, Hezbollah and related units would not engage in fighting against rebel units in the area, the report said.

In addition, Israel reportedly received assurances from Russia that Iran would not enter into the fighting in the area.

For its part, Israel told the Iranian delegation that it would not involve itself in the fighting along the ceasefire line on the Golan Heights, according to the report.