ISLAMABAD: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in New York on Sunday for what state media described as a “historic visit” to attend the United Nations General Assembly, the first by a Syrian head of state since 1967, according to the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
The last time a Syrian head of state attended the General Assembly was in 1967. That was before the 50-year rule of the Assad family dynasty, which came to an end in December when then-President Bashar Assad was ousted in a lightning insurgent offensive led by al-Sharaa. Assad’s fall also brought to an end nearly 14 years of civil war.
Since then, al-Sharaa has sought to restore ties with Arab countries and the West. The rebel group he formerly led, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, was previously designated by the United States as a terrorist group.
Al-Sharaa is leading a delegation that includes several ministers and senior officials for high-level meetings at UN headquarters, SANA reported.
During his visit, the Syrian presidency said on X (formerly Twitter) that al-Sharaa also met with members of the Syrian expatriate community in the United States. He emphasized “the importance of their role in conveying the true image of the Syrian Arab Republic” and expressed gratitude for “their sincere efforts in serving their homeland.”
Washington Post reported that along with his appearance at the U.N. General Assembly, al-Sharaa is likely to use his visit to push for further sanctions relief for Syria as it attempts to rebuild its war-battered economy and infrastructure.
U.S. President Donald Trump met with al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia in May and announced that he would lift decades of sanctions imposed on Syria under the Assads’ rule.
Also on Sunday, Syrian elections officials announced that the country’s first parliamentary elections since the fall of Assad will take place on Oct. 5.
Officials have said that holding direct elections at this stage would be too logistically challenging since many Syrians have lost personal documentation or are living as refugees abroad after the nearly 14-year civil war.
