Ahmed al-Sharaa

Damascus calls Hezbollah ‘terrorist militia’, partners with Iraq to stop arms smuggling

The ministry said specialized security units intercepted a suspicious vehicle near the Syrian-Iraqi border and discovered a cache of long-range missiles, guided anti-tank missiles, and drones. 

Drones displayed by Syria's Interior Ministry after authorities said they were seized during an operation that foiled an alleged cross-border weapons smuggling attempt near the al-Tanf border crossing with Iraq, July 16, 2026.
Syrian security forces seize a Hezbollah weapons shipment near the Syrian-Iraqi border, July 16, 2026.

Syria intercepts massive Hezbollah arms shipment hidden inside oil tanker from Iraq

Israeli soldiers at a staging area near the Israeli border with Syria in northern Israel, February 28, 2026.

Why lessons learned on October 7 prevent Israeli withdrawal from Syria - analysis

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during a bilateral meeting alongside the NATO leaders summit at the Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, Turkey, July 8, 2026.

Israel blocking regional stability by refusing to withdraw, Syria's Sharaa tells Trump - report


Syria’s parliament opens with quiet break from Assad era

Lawmakers sought to establish a legislature focused on oversight, representation, and institutional independence rather than displays of loyalty.

Members of Syria's new People's Assembly attend the legislature's inaugural session in Damascus, marking the first parliament to convene since the fall of former President Bashar Assad.

Syria opens new parliament as Sharaa begins post-Assad political chapter

In 2025, Syria spent the year trying to unite the country and begin its complex process of appointing members of the new parliament.

 SYRIA-POLITICS-PARLIAMENT This photograph shows the Syrian parliament building in Damascus on July 1, 2026.

Trump floats Syrian re-entry into Lebanon, reviving decades of trauma

US President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Damascus return to confront Hezbollah has reopened old wounds, exposing deep fears that one foreign occupier could simply replace another

US President Donald Trump’s suggestion to let Syria take on Hezbollah has unsettled many in the country, reviving memories of past prolonged Syrian interference.
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US moves to rescind terror designation in major step for Syria

Trump also said the United States had "released sanctions from the country," adding that Syria had "become very stable."

US President Donald Trump reacts as he meets with NATO Secretary General on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, on July 8, 2026.

Sharaa arrives at Ankara summit with Syria seeking closer NATO ties - analysis

Syria’s president is emerging from one set of success stories, with the French leader's visit, to another potential success at the NATO summit.

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa attends a press conference, on the day he meets France's President Emmanuel Macron, in Damascus, Syria, July 7, 2026.

Macron says France ready to help rebuild Syria following bombs, explosions near his hotel

"We want to continue working on the restructuring of the banking sector," Macron said at a news conference alongside Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

France's President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa at the People's Palace in Damascus, Syria, July 7, 2026.

Macron’s visit to Syria showcases Damascus's rising regional status - analysis

Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa is also expected to travel to Turkey to hold meetings on the sidelines of the NATO summit in the following days.

France's President Emmanuel Macron (L) is welcomed by Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (R) as he arrives for a state visit at the Damascus International Airport in Damascus on July 6, 2026.

French President Emmanuel Macron lands in Syria in first visit to post-Assad Damascus by EU head

The visit underlines Syria's geopolitical transformation under Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander who has established close ties with Western and Middle Eastern powers that shunned Assad.

French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa after a joint press conference after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 7, 2025.

Syrian women push for real political power: 'Representation is not just numbers'

As Syria’s first post-Assad parliament takes shape, activists say a rise in female lawmakers will matter only if women can shape legislation and oversight.

Women activists protest in Aleppo against what they say is inadequate female representation in Syria's newly formed People's Assembly, July 2.

Trump to meet leaders of Ukraine, Syria alongside NATO summit

A senior US official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity about the trip said Trump will meet with Zelensky on Wednesday to discuss "how we can end the war."

US President Donald Trump meets Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa in the White House, Washington, DC, November 10, 2025