Ahmad al-Sharaa

The Miracle of Syria

There is no rational explanation for what has occurred. A despotic regime backed by a military superpower was deposed in a bloodless coup by a band of revolutionaries in eleven days. The coup was orchestrated by a militia leader who seamlessly assumed the role of head of state, rapidly gaining respect at home and abroad. A despondent people, living in fear and despair for many decades, experienced the ecstatic joy of liberation, unleashing a flood of creative energy for rebuilding homes, schools and hospitals, drawing millions of Syrians to return from exile. A country in ruins quickly became a vast construction site.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres met Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at UN headquarters in New York during the 80th General Assembly. (UN)

Syria Returns to global stage with UN address and diplomatic breakthroughs

28 September 2025. In a historic speech to the UN General Assembly, the first by a Syrian head of state since 1967, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa declared: “Here is Syria today, returning to its worthy position among the nations of the world.” He acknowledged Arab, Islamic, US, and EU allies for their support in Syria’s rebuilding, and later held meetings with high officials of several nations including Ukraine, with which diplomatic ties were restored.Read more at: LEVANT24

Ahmad al-Sharaa UN speech 24 Sept

President Ahmad al-Sharaa introduces the new Syria to the world

26 September 2025. The videos below report on the significance of the Syrian president’s appearance at the UN 80th General Assembly.

President al-Sharaa interviewed by host of Syrian tv news channel, September 13th. (video still, Qusay Noor, SANA)

Syrian president pledges new era of political freedom

13 September 2025. In a televised interview, the Syrian leader pledged to expand media freedoms. He stated, “Criticism is not a threat—it is a chance for us to clarify our policies when misunderstood.” Acknowledging the impact of the rise of social media he added, “The world has moved beyond any notion of confining the media in a narrow mold.” He emphasized that freedom within the law is essential for a healthy society, while urging that criticism be constructive and truthful even when harsh.Read more at: SANA

Host of Syrian news channel al-Ikhbariya interviews President al-Sharaa. (video still, Qusay Noor, SANA)

President affirms territorial sovereignty and independence as Syria rebuilds its economy

13 September 2025. In a wide-ranging interview, president al-Sharaa stressed the need for calm relations with all nations as Syria recovers. Emphasizing the primacy of the people’s safety and well-being, he explained that a stable economy involves more than trade and investment. It requires reforming the judicial and educational systems, developing human resources, and providing energy, services, roads, communications, and open relations with neighboring countries, all of which are underway.Read more at: SANA

UN General Assembly briefing in January this year. (UN photo)

Syria rejoins community of nations with president’s address to the UN

12 September 2025. President al-Sharaa will address the world body in a major step toward Syria’s diplomatic reemergence. He will be joined by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Syria’s new UN representative, Ibrahim al-Olabi. This event occurs nine months after the insurgency led by him caused the fall of Assad and opened the path toward democracy. He will meet with other world leaders while in New York.Read more at: LEVANT24

President meets with Arab media delegation in Damascus, August 24th. (Syrian Arab Republic Presidency)

President al-Sharaa shares his views of Israel, Hezbollah, Lebanon, and SDF

25 August 2025. At a meeting with an Arab media delegation, President al-Sharaa confirmed Syria’s ongoing talks with Israel, saying he would not hesitate to make: “any agreement or decision that serves the interests of Syria and the region,” but that any deal must honour the 1974 armistice line. He said the new Syria would not be used to settle scores with Hezbollah, that “Lebanon must benefit from Syria’s renaissance,” and that it’s important to free the collective memory from burdens of the past.Read more at: ENAB BALADI

President Al-Sharaa holds August dialogue in Idlib, emphasising the importance of maintaining unity. (video still, Qusay Noor YouTube channel)

President declares Syria unbreakable

23 August 2025. President Ahmad al-Sharaa declared in a recent speech in Idlib, that Syria’s unity is non-negotiable, that partition is not an option and that attempts to form internal cantons within the country are “impossible.” He also stated that international efforts to weaken Syria internally were “unrealistic.” The president underscored the importance of reconciliation efforts in Suwayda and Daraa and affirmed that possession of arms would be limited to state institutions.Read more at: LEVANT24

President al-Sharaa pledges to protect minorities in Suwayda. (TOI YouTube video still 21 July)

“Syria is tired of war”—in need of dialogue, not bloodshed

17 August 2025. As demonstrations broke out in Suwayda, President al-Sharaa declared: “Syria is tired of war.” Speaking in a dialogue session with notables and officials from Idlib, he rejected division and partition, calling for unity through dialogue and understanding—not force. With Druze protestors demanding self-determination while waving the Israeli flag, he accused Israel of intervening directly in Suwayda’s unrest. The president acknowledged violence from all sides in the July Suwayda clashes and affirmed that all perpetrators would be held to account.Read more at: FRANCE 24

President Ahmad al-Sharaa addresses nation after securing the Suwayda (Sweida) ceasefire. (ENAB BALADI)

President announces ceasefire, pledging to protect all minorities and the rule of law

19 July 2025. The Syrian president called Suwayda’s violence “a dangerous turning point,” stating the clashes “nearly spiralled out of control,” and crediting the state’s intervention for calming tensions. He blamed Israel for escalating the crisis and praised the US, along with Turkey, Jordan and neighbouring countries, for brokering the ceasefire. Affirming that Suwayda “remains an integral part of the Syrian state,” he added, “the Druze community forms a fundamental pillar of Syria’s national fabric.”Read more at: ENAB BALADI

US and Jordan join with Syria to ensure Sweida (Suwayda) ceasefire holds

Syria and allies agree on steps to implement the ceasefire

19 July 2025. Immediately following the ceasefire announcement, tri-partite talks were held in Amman, Jordon to consolidate the agreement. The foreign ministers of Syria and Jordan, along with the US special envoy, agreed on operational steps to prevent more bloodshed. The US and Jordan pledged solidarity with Syria and their full support for its unity, stability, and sovereignty. Their joint aim is to guarantee the security of the country and its citizens, and to ensure the rule of law.Read more at: SANA

Al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi sign deal to integrate SDF into Syrian state – March 10, 2025. (Presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic)

Damascus reasserts: “One Syria, One Army, One Government”

10 July 2025. Responding to the delayed implementation of the March agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, the Damascus government reaffirmed its “One Syria” stance. It rejected partition of any kind, while welcoming any path that would enhance the unity and territorial integrity of Syria. The statement emphasized the importance of a unifying national identity and engagement of all peoples in the Syrian national project, stating “The Kurdish component has always been and remains an integral part of Syria’s diverse fabric.” Read more at: ENAB BALADI

Terrorists or Heroes?

Can a person who committed acts of terrorism become a national leader and a warrior for peace and unity? To most people this would seem like an unresolvable paradox, a virtual impossibility. Yet world history provides numerous examples of individuals who have used violence in struggles for just causes and who later became admired political figures, leading nations and fighting for the welfare of their people.

Syria’s search for missing persons is one of its most urgent humanitarian concerns. (IIMP Syria on UN News)

UN praises Syria’s moves to reveal the fate of missing persons and tackle human rights violations of previous regime

27 June 2025. Syria’s interim authorities have formed two national bodies to trace over 100,000 individuals who went missing under Assad and to address systemic abuse. UN Commission Chair Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro observed that recent attacks, since March 2025, were “in part a response to five decades of systematic crimes…” He praised President al-Sharaa’s commitment to hold accountable all those responsible and to restore confidence in state institutions. Read more at: UN NEWS

UN’s Najat Rochdi hails Syria’s move to hold parliamentary elections in briefing to Security Council. (UN TV video still on SANA website)

UN welcomes Syria’s plans for People’s Assembly elections

18 June 2025. Syria’s formation of a Supreme Electoral Committee—announced by President Ahmad Al-Sharaa—was welcomed by UN Deputy Special Envoy Najat Rochdi who called it “the next vital step in the political transition.” She and other UN officials called for international support of the new government, coping with vast humanitarian and other challenges in this fragile but pivotal phase of recovery. Read more at: SANA

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, in his Los Angeles office on December 10, 2015 (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo)

Faith meets diplomacy: interfaith visit to Syria sparks dialogue on peace prospects

11 June 2025. Reverend Johnnie Moore and Rabbi Abraham Cooper, long-time advocates of interfaith dialogue in Arab nations, visited Syria to promote peace efforts and held talks with Syria’s president, Ahmad al-Sharra, who is Muslim. Speaking to Reuters after the trip, Moore expresses optimism about future peace, stating it is “very possible, if not probable,” adding that Syria must prioritize internal stability before broader regional progress can take place.Read more at: REUTERS Subscription needed to read whole article.

US Special Envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, describes President Ahmad al-Sharaa as ‘a pivotal figure in the rebuilding of Syria’ (Photo: SANA)

US diplomat underscores power of hope in the face of harsh reality

11 June 2025. Ambassador Barrack praises Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa for his leadership of Syria’s reconstruction, saying the government is handling the situation “in the best way possible.” He stated that by lifting sanctions, the US hopes to remove obstacles to Syria’s economic recovery and that it seeks transparency, not control. “A drop of hope may be more powerful than a tank full of a bad reality,” the ambassador said.Read more at: SANA

The Governor of Daraa commends President Al-Sharaa’s visit, appreciating his dedication to direct engagement with the people. (SANA website 6 June 2025)

Al Sharaa visits Daraa, cradle of the Syrian revolution

6 June 2025. Governor Taha Al-Zoubi described the visit as a significant milestone on the path to national recovery and praised the president’s efforts to improve economic and living conditions. Al-Zoubi, governor of the province where Syria’s 2011 uprising against tyranny began, stated: “Daraa, which was the first to call for dignity and freedom, renews its commitment to working and cooperating to build the Syria of the future—a just and strong Syria.” While visiting the largely Sunni area, the president met with a delegation of Christian clergy.Read more at: Sana

President Al Sharaa to make landmark visit to New York this September. (Getty on The New Arab website 3 June 2025)

Syrian President expected to address the UN and meet with US officials in September

4 June 2025. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa is set to visit the US in September, delivering a speech at the UN General Assembly—the first by a Syrian leader in six decades. He will also hold discussions with US officials. A State Department spokesman said the US intends to “begin a new era” in its relations with Syria. Read more at: The Syrian Observer

President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrives at Aleppo citadel for the “Aleppo, the Key to Victory” event. (SANA website 27 May 2025)

Al-Sharaa tells jubilant crowd that reconstruction has just begun

28 May 2025. At an event honoring Aleppo’s fallen fighters in the December drive for liberation, al-Sharaa addressed an exuberant crowd. “Let us all unite and seek the help of God to create a bright future…” he declared to loud shouts of “Victory!”Read more at: Alarabiya English

People celebrate in Damascus on May 13, after the announcement of US lifting sanctions. (Yamam Al Shaar/Reuters)

After 8 years in exile a journalist returns home, calling it surreal

20 May 2025. Living in ruins, cautiously rebuilding their lives, people celebrate the end of US sanctions in May. Most shocking to the writer was the fact that people can now speak openly at public gatherings, voicing political opinions without fear. Read more at: Washington Post Subscription needed to read whole article.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 7, 2025. (REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/Pool/File Photo)

Syria and Israel engage in indirect talks as Israeli air strikes continue

7 May 2025. During a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, President al-Sharaa urges nations in communication with Israel to help put an end to Israel’s bombing of Syria. Read more at: Alarabiya News

The Appearance of Miracles

In less than six months, a nation that was on the brink of failure has been revived and is undergoing a transformation, an unfathomable occurrence in the normal course of events. Signs point to the presence of a new generation of leaders, whose sole motive is to serve their people and bring peace to a region embroiled in conflict over centuries.

Rebuilding Syria

For peacefully protesting against the dictatorship, the Syrian people lived in terror of endless war and repression… and its population became increasingly impoverished, with large sections of cities destroyed and lying in ruins… The new leaders quickly began to establish the rule of law and an environment of freedom for all Syrian peoples… demonstrating a strong will to reconstruct the nation as a democratic state that respects human rights, seeks unity among the diversity of peoples, and is committed to the common good.

Breaking the Endless Cycle of War

Humanity stands at a crossroads. We have the power to reject our inheritance of mutual destruction and build, instead, a future based on mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation. This possibility rests on potentials of our species that have been largely untapped until now: an active willingness to listen, a capacity for forgiveness, the aspiration to reach across human divides, and the awareness that no group or nation thrives when others suffer… In the case of Syria, the new leadership has held up these qualities as paramount for the rebirth of the country.

New Face of Syria