Rubio meets Syria’s chief in New York because the nation’s isolation eases additional

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa met on Monday (September 22, 2025) with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York, increasing his nation’s relations with the West and additional easing its isolation as he turns into Syria’s first chief to participate in a high-level annual UN assembly in practically 60 years.

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The final time a Syrian head of state attended the UN General Assembly assembly of world leaders was in 1967 — earlier than the 50-year rule of the Assad household dynasty. A lightning rebel offensive led by al-Sharaa ousted Bashar Assad in December and introduced practically 14 years of civil struggle to an finish.

Since then, Mr. al-Sharaa has sought to revive ties with Arab nations and the West, the place officers have been initially cautious of his previous ties with the al-Qaida militant group. The insurgent group he previously led, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, was beforehand designated by the United States as a overseas terrorist group.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has erased that designation and eased sanctions lengthy imposed on Syria in a bid to make sure the nation turns into a secure participant within the Middle East following its international isolation below Assad.

Mr. Rubio “underscored this chance for Syria to construct a secure and sovereign nation following President Trump’s historic announcement earlier this 12 months on sanctions aid for the Syrian individuals,” the State Department mentioned in a press release.

“They mentioned ongoing counterterrorism efforts, efforts to find lacking Americans, and the significance of Israel-Syria relations in attaining larger regional safety,” the division mentioned.

However, Mr. al-Sharaa once more expressed doubt that Syria would be part of the Abraham Accords, which noticed a number of Arab states normalise relations with Israel throughout Trump’s first time period. That is whilst Syria is in talks with the US and Israel over a possible safety association that might be finalized as early as this week.

“There’s a giant distinction between Syria and people members within the Abraham Accords,” he mentioned earlier Monday on the Concordia Annual Summit, a world affairs discussion board in New York. “Syria is totally different. And those that are a part of the Abraham Accords will not be neighbors to Israel. Therefore, Syria as a neighbor has been subjected to over 1,000 raids, strikes and Israeli incursions.”

He added that “Syria must be revered on this new period. There are totally different phases of negotiations with Israel to return to the truce of 1974.”

Mr. Al-Sharaa’s feedback got here in a dialog with retired Gen. David Petraeus, who commanded troops within the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and beforehand served as CIA director.

They met in a New York convention corridor after preventing on reverse sides of the US-led struggle in Iraq twenty years in the past. Al-Sharaa was an al-Qaida militant imprisoned by American forces, whereas Petraeus was the architect of a navy technique that for a time succeeded in suppressing the extremist group.

At the discussion board, Mr. al-Sharaa praised Mr. Trump, whom he met in Saudi Arabia in May, for taking a “daring determination” on lifting many sanctions in opposition to Syria. “I believe Syria deserves a brand new alternative,” Mr. al-Sharaa mentioned.

However, some sanctions stay, and the State Department needed to waive Assad-era visa restrictions on Syria for al-Sharaa and his delegation so they might take part within the UN assembly of world leaders, which kicks off Tuesday.

Mr. Al-Sharaa urged the United States to take away the remaining sanctions, saying Syria wants assist because it comes out of struggle and disaster.

“The Syrian individuals shouldn’t be killed one other time by the sanctions,” he mentioned. “The Syrian individuals love work. Lift the sanctions and don’t fret about them.”

Asked about atrocities dedicated in opposition to members of minorities within the coastal area and the southern province of Sweida which have prompted alarm within the U.S. and elsewhere, Mr. al-Sharaa mentioned, “There was main chaos and everybody made errors.” He famous that for the primary time in 60 years, Syria has allowed worldwide fact-finding groups into the nation.

“The Syrian state will work on accountability in opposition to these discovered responsible even when they have been the closest individuals to us,” he mentioned.