Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in New York on Sunday to attend the UN General Assembly. He is the first Syrian leader to do so in nearly 60 years. The last attendance by a Syrian head of state was in 1967.
Al-Sharaa took power after Bashar Assad fell in December, ending 14 years of civil war. He has worked to rebuild ties with Arab nations and the West. Officials remain cautious about his past links to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former al-Qaida-affiliated group.
At the UN, al-Sharaa will push for sanctions relief to revive Syria’s war-hit economy. President Trump lifted many sanctions, but the toughest restrictions under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act still require congressional approval.
Al-Sharaa also plans talks with Israel about restoring buffer zones seized since Assad’s fall. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said progress is limited but ongoing.
Syria announced its first parliamentary elections since Assad’s ouster, set for October 5. Two-thirds of seats will be chosen by provincial electoral bodies, and al-Sharaa will appoint the remaining one-third. Many Syrians live abroad or lost documents, making direct elections difficult.
