STG Engineering, the Russian operator of Syria's Tartous commercial port, has dismissed reports that its contract has been annulled. Media reports and Syrian businessmen had suggested that the contract, signed under former President Bashar al-Assad, had been cancelled due to the company's failure to fulfil the terms of the 2019 deal. However, the CEO of STG Engineering stated that the company is still managing the port and that no official notification of contract annulment has been received. Russia is also in talks with Syria's new authorities to retain its naval and air bases in Tartous.