Sharaa to become first Syrian leader to attend UN meetings since 1967

FILE PHOTO: Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa waves as he attends the “Aleppo, Key to Victory” celebration marking Syria’s liberation, in Aleppo, Syria May 27, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo

(Reuters) -Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in New York to attend meetings of the UN General Assembly, the first participation of a Syrian president since 1967, the state news agency reported early on Monday.

Sharaa – a former al Qaeda leader who once had a $10 million bounty on his head – scored a major diplomatic victory in May when he won recognition from U.S. President Donald Trump at a meeting in Riyadh.