Syrian President Speaks at UN for First Time in Nearly Six Decades

September 26, 2025 | 02:45 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa addressed the UN General Assembly, becoming the first Syrian leader to do so in nearly six decades. As reported by France24, Al-Sharaa stated that Syria is rejoining the international community after six decades of Bashar al-Assad's dictatorship, which resulted in the deaths of 1 million people and the torture of hundreds of thousands.

Al-Sharaa, a former Al Qaeda leader who led Sunni rebel attacks to overthrow Assad, said that Syria is reclaiming its rightful place after decades under dictatorship.

"Syria is reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world," he said at the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly.

Al-Sharaa became the first Syrian head of state to address the UN since Noureddine Attasi in 1967, shortly after the Arab-Israeli war, during which Damascus lost control of the Golan Heights, which was later annexed by Israel in 1981.

The autocratic and repressive Assad family dynasty's 50-year rule in Syria suddenly collapsed in December 2024 when President Bashar Assad, at the time, was overthrown in a lightning attack led by al-Sharaa. Assad's fall ended a nearly 14-year Sunni-Shia civil war.

Al-Sharaa condemned Israel in his speech, stating that Israel has not ceased its threats against his country since the fall of President Bashar Assad in December.

He added that Israel's policies "contradict the international community’s support to Syria and its people," posing a danger to the region and potentially igniting an unpredictable conflict.

Nevertheless, negotiations have been ongoing between Syria and Israel for a security agreement, which al-Sharaa hopes will result in the withdrawal of Israeli forces and a return to the 1974 disengagement agreement.

Although al-Sharaa stated last week that an agreement could be reached within days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to downplay the likelihood of a breakthrough in his speech on Sunday.

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