ahmed al sharaa

During a historic White House meeting, President Trump presented Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa with a bottle of his signature fragrance, sparking viral online attention. Trump praised Sharaa's advocacy for Middle East peace, noting the "Great Miracle" unfolding in the region and the importance of a stable Syria.

South Pars is not simply an Iranian asset. It is part of the world’s largest natural gas field, shared with Qatar, whose LNG exports underpin energy supply chains across Europe and Asia. When Israel struck that field, it was not just hitting Iran’s revenues. It was destabilising a system tied to a Gulf partner that matters deeply to Washington.

The UN Security Council voted to lift sanctions on Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Home Minister Anas Hasan Khattab ahead of al-Sharaa's White House visit. This decision removes them from UN sanctions lists, marking a significant shift in international relations with Syria. China abstained, citing ongoing security concerns.

A US Embassy post once labeled the Syrian President a wanted terrorist. Now, Marco Rubio met Ahmed al-Sharaa to discuss US priorities in Syria. They talked about counterterrorism and Israel-Syria relations. Donald Trump also met Sharaa earlier in Saudi Arabia. This marked the first meeting between leaders in 25 years.

Far-right activist Laura Loomer criticized President Trump's White House meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former militant commander. Trump praised al-Sharaa as a leader capable of rebuilding Syria, despite his past ties to a group once designated as terrorist by the US. The visit marks a historic moment, with the administration also announcing a temporary extension of sanctions relief.

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Syria's new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Saudi Arabia amidst efforts to lift sanctions crippling Syria's economy. Sharaa's rise after the overthrow of Assad's regime is complicated by his past al-Qaeda ties and recent violence against Alawites. Despite these challenges, he seeks US support and international recognition, having recently met French President Macron.

A surprising White House meeting between US President Trump and Syrian President al-Sharaa saw a lighthearted moment over a fragrance gift, sparking widespread online attention. The historic visit, marked by discussions on Middle East peace and a potential shift in US foreign policy regarding Syria's role against ISIS, also highlighted al-Sharaa's controversial past.

German chancellor Olaf Scholz assured Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa of Berlin's support for Syria’s transition after Bashar al-Assad’s ouster. In their first call, Scholz congratulated Syrians on ending Assad’s rule and emphasized the need for an inclusive political process. He also stressed the importance of counterterrorism efforts. While Sharaa is working to restore Syria’s diplomatic ties, the country faces ongoing territorial and governance challenges, including unrest in the south and north.

From wanted jihadist to statesman embraced by world leaders, Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has undergone a stunning transformation in just six months since ousting longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad. He was proclaimed interim president the following month, and later tasked with leading his country through a five-year transitional period under a temporary constitution that experts and rights groups said concentrates power in his hands.

Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa is to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday for unprecedented talks just days after Washington removed him from a terrorism blacklist. Sharaa, whose rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, will be the first Syrian leader to visit the White House since the country's independence in 1946.

Rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, declared a "historic" victory from Damascus's Umayyad Mosque after his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group seized control of the Syrian capital, forcing President Bashar al-Assad to flee to Moscow. Al-Sharaa celebrated the end of Assad's oppressive rule and the purification of Syria from Iranian influence and sectarianism.

Syria's new president arrived in Qatar on Tuesday, state media said, for his first official visit to the Gulf state, a key backer of the new administration after longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad's ouster. His new administration has received support from several countries including key backers Turkey and Qatar, as well as multiple Arab states.

A US-led raid in Syria, intended to capture an ISIS official, tragically killed a man reportedly working undercover for intelligence. Khaled al-Masoud's family claims he was a spy for a Syrian opposition group, not a jihadist. The operation, involving US forces and the Syrian Free Army, has raised questions about faulty intelligence and accountability for his death.

Syria's new interim president pledged on Tuesday to ensure the state has a monopoly on weapons at a national dialogue conference on the country's future after Bashar al-Assad's overthrow. Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led a rebel alliance that toppled Assad in December, also said he plans to establish a national dialogue conference during the country's transition.

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa pledged accountability for those who harmed the Druze population, following Israeli airstrikes in Damascus targeting military and government sites. He reassured Druze citizens, rejecting external interference and transferring security responsibilities to local leaders. Al-Sharaa affirmed the Syrian people's readiness to defend their dignity, prioritizing national interests over conflict.

President Trump's decision to ease sanctions on Syria, following a historic meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, signals a potential turning point for the war-torn nation. This move aims to stimulate reconstruction and economic recovery after decades of crippling restrictions. While challenges remain, the decision has sparked optimism and could pave the way for improved humanitarian conditions and regional stability.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. This marks Sharaa's first European visit since assuming power after Bashar al-Assad. The meeting occurs amidst concerns over human rights and sectarian clashes in Syria. Macron aims to encourage stability and respect for all Syrian communities.

Dozens of Syrian writers, artists, and academics signed a petition urging the respect of public freedoms after Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow. The petition, published after Ahmed al-Sharaa became interim president, called for freedoms of assembly, protest, and expression, alongside the protection of personal and cultural autonomy. It also demanded a fair electoral process, a new constitution ensuring dignity for all, and a just resolution for the Kurdish issue amid ongoing conflicts.

In a notable development, an Indian diplomat, Suresh Kumar, engaged with Syrian ministers in Damascus, signaling India's initial formal interaction with Syria's transitional government. Kumar, representing the external affairs ministry, met with Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani and Health Minister Musab Al-Ali, according to SANA.

Syria said Thursday a suicide bomber who killed a security forces member in Aleppo on New Year's Eve was in the Islamic State group, which planned attacks on churches and gatherings. The interior ministry said in a statement it had information that IS planned "suicide operations and attacks targeting New Year's celebrations in a number of governorates, particularly the city of Aleppo, by targeting churches and civilian gathering spots", prompting security to be tightened.

Syria said Thursday a suicide bomber who killed a security forces member in Aleppo on New Year's Eve was in the Islamic State group, which planned attacks on churches and gatherings. The interior ministry said in a statement it had information that IS planned "suicide operations and attacks targeting New Year's celebrations in a number of governorates, particularly the city of Aleppo, by targeting churches and civilian gathering spots", prompting security to be tightened.

Syria's interim leader met with Turkey's president in Istanbul on Saturday, in an unannounced visit amid efforts by the new rulers in Damascus to rebuild the war-torn country. On Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Syria's interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Istanbul, according to Anadolu state news agency.

Syrians were set to commemorate the 14th anniversary of their uprising on Saturday in public demonstrations in Damascus and other cities for the first time since president Bashar al-Assad was toppled. This year's commemoration marks the first since Assad was toppled on December 8 by Islamist-led rebels.

As Washington weighs succession scenarios and Tehran trades missiles, the central question goes largely unasked: can Iran change without dismantling the clerical system that holds ultimate power? Until that is confronted, talk of regime change is theatre, at best hollow

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa called for national unity and peace on Sunday, after more than 1,000 people were reportedly killed in coastal Syria in the worst clashes since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. "We must preserve national unity (and) civil peace as much as possible and, God willing, we will be able to live together in this country," Sharaa said from a mosque in Damascus The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor has reported that 745 Alawite civilians were killed in Latakia and Tartus provinces.

Donald Trump ended US sanctions on Syria through an executive order. This fulfilled his promise made during a Middle East visit. The move followed the formation of a new Syrian government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa. Sanctions on Bashar al-Assad and related entities remain. The US Treasury eased restrictions on Syrian banks and infrastructure projects. European Union also lifted sanctions.