Overview
- Ahmed al Sharaa, formerly Mohammad al Jolani, addressed the UN General Assembly in New York and called for the total lifting of international sanctions on Syria in the first speech by a Syrian president there since 1967.
- He capped the appearance with outreach to Western and regional figures, sharing a public stage with retired U.S. General David Petraeus and holding meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, EU Council President António Costa, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
- Reporting describes a shift in Washington’s approach, with increased engagement and accounts of eased economic restrictions as Al Sharaa seeks investment and legitimacy for reconstruction.
- Talks on a security arrangement with Israel are ongoing, with Reuters reporting U.S. pressure for a deal and a U.S. envoy saying a de-escalation understanding is near that would halt Israeli strikes and restrict Syrian heavy equipment near the border.
- Monitoring groups and minority communities accuse HTS-linked forces and the new army of sectarian killings, with the OSDH citing more than 10,000 deaths since December, and Al Sharaa pledges investigations, UN access and accountability.