Ahmad al-Sharaa, the newly appointed transitional president of Syria, arrived in Saudi Arabia on February 2, marking his first official foreign visit. He was accompanied by Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani. Upon arrival in Riyadh, the new Syrian leaders were welcomed by Saudi officials.
Saudi state television reported that al-Sharaa is set to hold talks with the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Meanwhile, the Syrian state news agency SANA only confirmed the upcoming meeting in Riyadh without providing further details.
Earlier, the presidential office in Damascus shared a photo on social media of al-Sharaa and al-Shaibani aboard the plane, noting that this is their “first official visit.”
Al-Sharaa was appointed as Syria’s transitional president on January 29. His Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led the ousting of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in early December.
Saudi King Salman and his son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, were among the first to congratulate al-Sharaa on his appointment. Syria is seeking support from wealthy Gulf states to finance the reconstruction of the war-torn country and revive its economy.
In mid-January, Saudi Arabia advocated for the lifting of sanctions against Syria. Since the ousting of Assad in December, the new Syrian authorities have already received several foreign politicians, including German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who visited Syria in early January.