Syrian ministers travel to Riyadh for their inaugural international visit following the fall of Assad

Syria’s foreign and defense ministers held discussions with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman in Riyadh on Thursday, marking the first international visit by members of the newly established Syrian administration, which took office less than a month ago.

In a statement on X, Salman mentioned that he and Syria‘s new foreign minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, explored ways to facilitate Syria’s political transition. The meeting also included Syria’s intelligence chief.

Following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad on December 8, Islamist factions led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have aimed to reassure both Arab nations and the global community of their commitment to governing inclusively and avoiding the export of Islamist ideologies. HTS was previously affiliated with al-Qaeda until severing ties in 2016.

Saudi Arabia has historically supported the rebels opposing Assad since the beginning of the Syrian civil war. Recently, however, Riyadh has taken steps to normalize relations with the Assad regime, which has facilitated Syria’s re-entry into the Arab League in 2023. This shift aims to diminish Iranian influence in Syria and combat the trafficking of drugs, particularly the methamphetamine known as captagon.