On his second day in Riyadh, U.S. President Donald Trump made a diplomatic play by sitting down with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Syrian interim leader. This marks the first time in decades that a U.S. president has met with a high-level Syrian figure, signaling a potential shift in Middle East strategy.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud joined the meeting online, highlighting a broader regional approach to diplomacy.
In a speech to Gulf leaders, Trump described his handshake with al-Sharaa as "the first step toward normalizing relations" and urged Syria to join the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, the landmark deals that have brought Israel together with several Arab states.
At a high-profile investment forum earlier this week, Trump said: "I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness." The policy U-turn comes after Washington reimposed sanctions following the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
During his roughly 48-hour stop in Saudi Arabia, Trump also secured around $600 billion in new investment commitments, underscoring the economic stakes behind his diplomatic strategy.
Beyond Syria, Trump addressed ongoing indirect talks with Iran. He proposed a deal requiring Tehran to stop sponsoring terror, halt proxy wars, and verifiably cease its pursuit of nuclear weapons in exchange for lifting sanctions. He called on all nations to enforce the measures he described as critical to regional stability.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi responded swiftly, accusing Trump of "sheer deception by misplacing the true source of threat." The exchange underscores the high-stakes nature of U.S.-Iran tensions even as new diplomatic channels open.
Trump’s Middle East tour continues with stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and the world will be watching whether this bold meeting in Riyadh leads to lasting policy changes across the region.
Reference(s):
Trump meets Syrian interim leader, comments on talks with Iran
cgtn.com
