Al-Jolani says new Syria to 'stand at equal distance' from all Lebanese

The military leader of the Islamist-led rebels who ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, who now prefers to use his real name Ahmad al-Sharaa, has reassured the Lebanese about the future of relations between the two countries.

"Indeed the Lebanese brothers had a lot of concerns over our takeover of Damascus, thinking that that would strengthen one side against another in Lebanon. In fact we are not seeking any hegemony relation with the Lebanese neighbors, seeing as we have enough work to do in our country," al-Jolani said in an interview with Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

"We want a relation of respect and reciprocity and we don't want to interfere in Lebanese domestic affairs," he added.

"We will stand at an equal distance from all Lebanese and what satisfies them will satisfy us," al-Jolani stated.