Ahmad Al-Sharaa's Saudi Visit Marks Syria's Shift Away From Iran

Photo : AP

Syria's new interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, made his first international trip Sunday to Saudi Arabia, where he met for the first time with the monarch and other key leaders. That was a massive turn in Syria's political orientation, as he signalled Syria was moving away from Iran, which had been its main ally for years. Al-Sharaa, with his foreign minister Asaad al-Shaiban, arrived possibly on a jet provided by the kingdom in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. According to reports, the officials of Saudi Arabia were greeting them as they were stepping out of the aircraft, as confirmed by footage aired on Saudi state TV channel Al-Ekhbariya.

Al-Sharaa was once called Abu Mohammed al-Golani and was linked to al-Qaida. His expected meeting would be with the powerful Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, although no date for this meeting has been announced. This visit is regarded as an important diplomatic move because it was announced after al-Sharaa was appointed interim president earlier in the week after the Bashar al-Assad government in Syria was overthrown. The King of Saudi Arabia, Salman, and his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, were among the first people to congratulate him.

One of the biggest challenges that Syria is facing is the huge cost of rebuilding the country after more than a decade of destructive war. Experts say that rebuilding Syria could cost hundreds of billions of dollars. Al-Sharaa's government is hoping to secure financial support from wealthy Gulf countries, such as Saudi Arabia, to help reconstruct the country and revive its economy. Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, was in Damascus earlier in January and mentioned the potential lifting of sanctions on Syria, which would be a step towards improving the country's situation.

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Syria has also received other high-profile visitors, such as Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who emphasized the need for a government that represents all sections of Syrian society to bring stability and initiate the rebuilding process.

Since the fall of the Assad regime, Syria has been very concerned about its image. The interim government appointed females to key roles and worked for good relations with Syria's Christians and Shiite Alawite. This was especially important under the rule of the Assad regime.

The country has also tried distancing itself from its two allies throughout the war Iran and Russia. Iran, closely aligned with Assad, still hasn't opened its embassy in Damascus, but groups like Hezbollah supported him with military. On the other hand, Russia has had difficulties keeping military bases open in Syria due to their aid in war. By distancing itself from both Iran and Russia, Syria seems to be signaling its interest in improving ties with Western countries and possibly getting sanctions lifted.

This shift in Syria’s foreign policy reflects its desire to rebuild, gain international support, and restore stability after years of conflict.

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