Leading an official delegation, al-Sharaa was welcomed by Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, son of the King of Bahrain, and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Abdul Latif Al-Zayani.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, head of Syria’s transitional government, arrived Saturday, May 10, in the Bahraini capital, Manama, leading an official government delegation.
According to the official Syrian News Agency SANA, al-Sharaa landed at Bahrain International Airport in the Muharraq area, north of Manama, where he was welcomed by Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, son of the King of Bahrain.
Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Abdul Latif Al-Zayani, was also among the officials who received al-Sharaa and his delegation at the airport.
Earlier, last Wednesday, al-Sharaa visited the French capital, Paris, heading another official delegation, where he held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.
During a joint press conference with Macron, al-Sharaa stated that Syria’s future would not be shaped behind closed doors or decided in distant capitals. He emphasised the need to lift the sanctions imposed on the former regime, which he said “must go along with its demise.”
He also revealed the existence of indirect negotiations between Damascus and Tel Aviv aimed at de-escalation and halting Israeli violations. Al-Sharaa said discussions were also taking place with several countries that maintain ties with Israel to pressure it into ceasing its operations in Syria.
Addressing other issues, al-Sharaa noted that Syria’s constitution would define the rights of foreign fighters and their families eligible for citizenship. He added that they would be subject to Syrian law, with guarantees provided to the international community that they would pose no threat.
Al-Sharaa dismissed reports about recent events on Syria’s coast as exaggerated by the media, stating that the government had acted swiftly to contain sectarian violence and had welcomed an international investigation committee.
He further added that Israel had bombed Syrian territory over 20 times in the past week, under the pretext of protecting minorities. His talks with Macron reportedly covered the agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), border security, continued Israeli attacks, the Lebanese border, and Syria’s reconstruction efforts.
Prior to his trips to Paris and Bahrain, al-Sharaa paid an official visit to the United Arab Emirates on April 13, accompanied by a delegation that included Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. During the visit, he met with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Mohammed bin Zayed affirmed the UAE’s support for Syria during its transitional phase and expressed a commitment to the country’s unity and territorial integrity.
