King Salman Sends Invitation to Syrian President to Attend Arab Summit

Saudi Ambassador to Jordan Naif bin Bandar Al-Sudairi meets with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus. (Syrian presidency)
Saudi Ambassador to Jordan Naif bin Bandar Al-Sudairi meets with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus. (Syrian presidency)
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King Salman Sends Invitation to Syrian President to Attend Arab Summit

Saudi Ambassador to Jordan Naif bin Bandar Al-Sudairi meets with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus. (Syrian presidency)
Saudi Ambassador to Jordan Naif bin Bandar Al-Sudairi meets with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus. (Syrian presidency)

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz invited on Wednesday Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to attend the upcoming Arab League summit that will be held in Saudi Arabia on May 19.

Saudi Ambassador to Jordan Naif bin Bandar Al-Sudairi delivered the invitation to Assad during a meeting with the president in Damascus.

Ambassador Al-Sudairi conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to Assad and their wishes for security and stability for the government and people of Syria.



Syrian President Begins Gulf Tour Following Easing of International Sanctions

A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
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Syrian President Begins Gulf Tour Following Easing of International Sanctions

A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has begun a tour of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, marking his second visit to the region and his first since most international sanctions on Syria were lifted.

The trip, which began in the United Arab Emirates, underscores Damascus’s push to reintegrate economically and diplomatically into the Arab world after more than a decade of isolation.

According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, the tour aims to bolster economic cooperation and attract Gulf investments to support Syria’s national reconstruction and development plans.

Al-Sharaa arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday, where he was received by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders held official talks focusing on post-war recovery, economic partnership, and infrastructure development.

Speaking during the meeting, al-Sharaa said Syria has “turned the page on war and division” and is now focused on building “strategic partnerships” with its Gulf neighbors. He praised the UAE’s role in supporting regional stability and expressed interest in learning from the Emirati model in sustainable development, digital transformation, and clean energy.

For his part, Sheikh Mohamed reaffirmed the UAE’s full support for Syria’s efforts to restore stability and rebuild its war-torn economy. He stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral ties, especially in key sectors such as infrastructure, investment, and technology.