Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa has described the fall of the Bashar al Assad regime as the start of “a new historic phase for the region,” emphasising that Syria now shares “converging interests with the West and the United States.”
Speaking at the 2025 Concordia Annual Summit in New York on Monday during a session titled “East Stage: Democracy, Security & Geopolitical Risk” alongside former CIA Director David Petraeus, al Sharaa warned that some actors are attempting “to stir sectarian tensions in Syria, while others are settling their scores on Syrian soil.”
He stressed the importance of quickly implementing peaceful solutions, highlighting the March 10 agreement with the terrorist group YPG-dominated SDF.
“Restricting weapons to the hands of the state is what protects Syria from conflicts and unrest,” al Sharaa said. He added that Syria had offered the SDF integration into the national army and guarantees for Kurdish rights.
The SDF is dominated by the terrorist group YPG, the Syrian branch of the outlawed PKK terror organisation.
‘No quotas, but principle of partnership’
On governance, al Sharaa said Syria has “rejected the principle of quotas and adopted the principle of partnership in forming government, ensuring it is a government of competencies.”
He also called for renewed international support following the partial lifting of sanctions by US President Donald Trump.
“Syria needs a new chance at life, but Congress must do more to permanently remove sanctions,” al Sharaa said, urging the international community to facilitate Syria’s reconstruction and stability.
In a significant policy shift, Trump signed Executive Order 14312 on June 30, 2025, effectively lifting most US sanctions on Syria.
This move followed a May 13 announcement in Riyadh, in which Trump pledged to end the sanctions in support of Syria's path to stability and peace.
However, certain sanctions remain in place.
