Story perspectives

Syria’s Leader Calls for Sanctions Lift and Security Deal

9/26/2025

Summary

Al-Sharaa Addresses UN

Ahmed al-Sharaa delivered the first Syrian leader’s UN General Assembly speech in nearly 60 years, urging lifting sanctions.
al-Sharaa condemned Israeli military actions as destabilizing and opposed to support for Syria.
He framed Syria’s shift from dictatorship to reclaiming its place in the world amid mixed reactions.
He urged a security agreement with Israel, conditioned on demilitarization and Druze protection.

Summary

Al-Sharaa Advocates Sanctions Relief

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with former CIA director David Petraeus to discuss reconstruction and governance challenges.
He linked security and stability to economic revival and national unity.
He urged lifting sanctions, saying they harm civilians.
In talks with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, he pursued political transition and sovereignty, and cited Israeli aggression and Gaza devastation as barriers.

History

Historical Context

The Six-Day War in 1967 significantly altered Middle Eastern geopolitics, resulting in Syria's loss of the Golan Heights to Israel. This territorial loss intensified military and political challenges for Syria, particularly under Hafez al-Assad's regime. In recent years, Ahmed al-Sharaa's UN address highlights Syria's efforts to regain international recognition while grappling with the impact of sanctions imposed since the civil war began in 2011.

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Al-Sharaa Addresses UN

Ahmed al-Sharaa delivered the first Syrian leader’s UN General Assembly speech in nearly 60 years, urging lifting sanctions.
al-Sharaa condemned Israeli military actions as destabilizing and opposed to support for Syria.
He framed Syria’s shift from dictatorship to reclaiming its place in the world amid mixed reactions.
He urged a security agreement with Israel, conditioned on demilitarization and Druze protection.

1 / 3