Overview

• Syria’s president became the first Syrian head of state in nearly six decades to address the UN General Assembly, calling for the complete lifting of sanctions.
• In his speech and sidelines remarks, he condemned repeated Israeli strikes and incursions, affirmed commitment to dialogue, and cited the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.
• US envoy Tom Barrack said a near‑final de‑escalation arrangement would halt Israeli attacks in exchange for Syria keeping heavy equipment away from the frontier, with timing affected by the Rosh Hashanah holiday.
• Al‑Sharaa’s rapid international rehabilitation included talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, public engagement with David Petraeus, and the US removal of HTS from its terrorist list in July.
• At home, authorities set an October 5 electoral‑college selection for a new People’s Assembly with many seats reserved for presidential appointment, as rights groups question inclusiveness and he pledges accountability for recent sectarian violence.