Syrian president heads to New York for landmark visit to attend UN General Assembly

Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa on Sunday departed for a landmark visit to New York to take part in this year’s UN General Assembly, the first such participation by a Syrian leader since 1967, the presidency said.

During the session, Sharaa is expected to take part in numerous meetings and hold discussions with heads of state and delegations.

His visit comes as Damascus seeks the permanent lifting of US sanctions that remain in effect despite recent easing measures. Much of the sanctions stem from a 2019 US law which sanctioned the former Assad regime for war crimes during the civil war.

‎‏Since Assad’s ouster in late 2024, Syria’s new administration has pursued political and economic reforms while promoting social cohesion and working to expand cooperation with regional and international partners.

Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia last December, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963. A new transitional administration led by Sharaa was formed in January.