Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call with U.S. envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack on Saturday to discuss steps to support Syria’s recovery, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The two officials reviewed ways to assist Syria’s transitional government, focusing on economic and humanitarian support amid the region’s shifting dynamics.
In late May, U.S. envoy Barrack emphasized that President Donald Trump remains committed to supporting Syria’s transitional government, describing the current period as “a historic moment for Syria.” Barrack added that the U.S. administration had made the bold decision to lift economic sanctions on Syria to facilitate the country’s recovery.
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“This is a unique opportunity,” Barrack said, confirming that all U.S. efforts are directed toward supporting the new Syrian government.
Barrack also met in Damascus with Syria’s transitional leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, alongside senior Syrian officials, including Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Kasra, and Intelligence Chief Hussein Salameh.
Meanwhile, the U.S.-based news outlet Axios reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested U.S. mediation to open direct negotiations with Syria for the first time since 2011. Israeli officials reportedly expressed interest in reaching a comprehensive peace agreement and a modernized security arrangement with Damascus.
Read more: Axios: Israel Seeks U.S. Mediation for Talks with Syria
One Israeli official reportedly said, “It is better for us that the Syrian government is close to the U.S. and Saudi Arabia,” noting that Syria’s transitional president Al-Sharaa is “more favorable than Israel thought and doesn’t take his orders from Ankara.”
