Syrian interim president meets Saudi Crown Prince in Riyadh on first trip

This handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace shows Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) welcoming Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh on February 2, 2025. (Photo/AFP)

Syria's transitional President Ahmed al Sharaa met Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh in his first foreign trip as Syrian leader, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

Live TV footage showed Sharaa shaking hands with the crown prince in the Saudi capital before sitting down for talks.

The Saudi crown prince is the second Gulf leader to meet Sharaa since the latter was declared president for a transitional phase last week.

Sharaa arrived in Saudi Arabia for his first international visit since the toppling of Bashar al Assad, state media reported.

Accompanied by his foreign minister Asaad al Shaibani, Sharaa was greeted by Saudi officials as he disembarked, images from state television outlet Al-Ekhbariya showed on Sunday.

The broadcaster said Sharaa was expected to meet with de facto Saudi ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, but did not specify when.

Syrian state news agency SANA also reported the pair would meet with Prince Mohammed in Riyadh, without providing further details.

The Syrian presidency had earlier posted a picture on X of Sharaa and Shaibani aboard what appeared to be a private jet on their way to Saudi Arabia, calling it a "first official visit".

Sharaa was named interim president on Wednesday.

Gulf leaders extend support

Saudi Arabia's King Salman and his son Prince Mohammed were among the first to congratulate him on his official appointment.

The Syrian authorities are counting on wealthy Gulf states to finance the reconstruction of their war-ravaged country and revive its economy.

On Thursday, Damascus received Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who "stressed the urgent need to form a government representing all spectrums" of Syrian society in order "to consolidate stability and move forward with reconstruction, development and prosperity projects".

The new Syrian authorities have received a steady stream of diplomatic visitors since toppling Assad in December.

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Source: TRT