Syrian leader Al-Sharaa meets the Saudi crown prince on his first international trip

 Syria's newly appointed president for a transitional phase, Ahmed al-Sharaa, meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salam, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia February 2, 2025 - PHOTO/ Bandar Algaloud/Royal Saudi Court via REUTERS 
Margarita Arredondas
04 de febrero de 2025 (10:00 h.)
Tags
Iran Syria Saudi Arabia
This visit highlights the distancing between Damascus and the Iranian regime following the fall of Bashar Al-Assad 

The interim president of Syria, Ahmad Al-Shara, has made his first trip abroad, to Saudi Arabia, a gesture that seems to reflect the distancing between Damascus and Iran.   

Al-Sharaa, internationally recognised by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, landed in Riyadh together with his Foreign Minister, Asaad Al-Sheibani, on board a Saudi aeroplane.  

Syria's current strongman, who in the past was the leader of the al-Qaeda branch in the country, met with the Saudi crown prince, Mohamed bin Salman, to discuss the need to support stability in Syria, reflecting a shared awareness of the danger of escalation in the Middle East, as well as the common desire to improve regional stability. 

Through its openness towards the new Syria after the fall of the regime of Bashar Al-Assad - an ally of Iran and Russia - Saudi Arabia seeks to help calm the situation in the region and avoid conflicts that could threaten its security and economic stability. This objective coincides with the plans of the new Syrian leadership, which is working on a rapprochement with the Arab countries, reflecting a desire to avoid regional clashes and focus on rebuilding the nation after decades of civil war. 

‘We had a long meeting in which we perceived a genuine desire to support Syria in building its future, as well as an interest in supporting the will of the Syrian people and the unity and integrity of its territory,’ Al-Sharaa said in a statement after the meeting with Bin Salman. 

‘During the meeting we also addressed a series of key issues, such as cooperation in various areas, especially in the humanitarian and economic spheres. In addition, we discussed future plans in sectors such as energy, technology, education and health, with the aim of building a true partnership,’ added the Syrian leader, who also emphasised that this effort is aimed at ‘preserving peace and stability throughout the region, as well as improving the economic situation of the Syrian people’. 

Newly appointed Syrian president for a transitional phase, Ahmed al-Sharaa, meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia February 2, 2025 - PHOTO/ Bandar Algaloud/Royal Saudi Court via REUTERS 

The authorities in Damascus have the backing of Arab countries, especially those in the Gulf, to rebuild the country and deal with the aftermath of the devastating 13-year conflict that caused widespread destruction of Syrian infrastructure. 

Al-Sharaa's visit to Saudi Arabia took place a few days after the visit to Damascus of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, which marked the first visit of a head of state to Syria since the overthrow of the previous regime. 

For its part, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement indicating that the crown prince and Al-Sharaa had discussed ‘the latest developments in Syria and ways to support security and stability in the country’, as well as ‘ways to strengthen bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries in various fields’.  

Newly appointed Syrian President for a transitional phase, Ahmed al-Sharaa, visits Saudi Arabia's Artificial Intelligence and Data Authority, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 2, 2025 - PHOTO/Saudi Press Agency via REUTERS

The new Syrian authorities have expressed their intention to begin a new era with the Kingdom after years of distancing. In this sense, it is worth noting that the Saudi capital was also the destination of the first visit of the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Asaad Al-Sheibani, at the beginning of January. At the end of that same month, his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, visited Damascus.  

The Saudi minister then reiterated his country's support for the new Syrian administration, especially with regard to the lifting of the Western sanctions imposed at the beginning of the war. 

Al-Sharaa himself stressed in an interview with the Saudi channel Al Arabiya in December that the Kingdom would have a ‘very important role’ in Syria, where it could benefit from ‘significant investment opportunities’. 

Saudi Arabia is seeking to play a key role in the reintegration of the new Syria into the region and the international community. By contrast, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been left out of the Syrian picture, which has weakened its influence in the region. To this must be added the significant defeats suffered by its allies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The Iranian regime, a traditional rival of Saudi Arabia, was one of the main supporters of the Al-Assad regime, whose fall represented a significant strategic loss for Tehran. 

Despite the recent improvement in relations between Riyadh and Tehran, deep strategic differences persist between the two, especially on issues such as the war in Yemen. While Iran supports the Houthi rebels, Riyadh leads a coalition backing government forces in their fight against the rebel group. In addition, the Kingdom and other Gulf states accuse Iran of interfering in the internal affairs of the countries. 

Tags
Iran Syria Saudi Arabia