Assad regime’s fall opens ‘new historic phase’ for region, Syrian president says

• Peaceful solutions must be reached, implemented swiftly, especially in agreement with SDF on March 10, says Ahmad al-Sharaa
• Syria ‘needs new a chance at life, President Donald Trump lifted sanctions, but Congress must do more to remove them permanently,’ Sharaa says
• Syrian president says Israel still occupies Golan (Heights) and continues incursions into Syrian territory

ISTANBUL

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Monday that the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime has ushered in “a new historic phase for the region,” stressing that Syria today has “converging interests with the West and the United States.”

Speaking at a session titled “East Stage: Democracy, Security & Geopolitical Risk” with former CIA Director David Petraeus at the 2025 Concordia Annual Summit in New York, Sharaa warned that some parties are trying “to stir sectarian tensions in Syria, while others are settling their scores on Syrian soil.”

“Peaceful solutions must be reached and implemented swiftly, especially in the agreement with SDF on March 10,” he said.

“Restricting weapons to the hands of the state is what protects Syria from conflicts and unrest,” Sharaa said.

Syria “offered SDF to integrate into the Syrian army, assured them that Kurdish rights are guaranteed, but there has been hesitation (on their part) in implementing the agreement.”

Sharaa said Syria “needs a new chance at life, President Donald Trump lifted sanctions, but Congress must do more to remove them permanently.”

On tensions with Israel, the Syrian leader said: “If the truce succeeds and Israel abides by what is agreed upon, negotiations may develop.”

Syria “reached advanced stages toward agreement with Israel based on the 1974 (disengagement deal),” he added. “Syria’s policy is to have calm relations with all countries and not to be a source of threat to anyone.”

Sharaa said Israel still occupies the Golan Heights and continues incursions into Syrian territory, citing that Israel had attacked Syria over 1,000 times in recent months.

“But we are seeking to avoid war because the country is in a phase of reconstruction,” he said, calling on Israel to withdraw from Syrian lands.

“Security concerns can be addressed through negotiations,” Sharaa said. “Does Israel really have security concerns, or expansionist ambitions? This is what the talks will reveal.”

The Syrian leader said his country “rejected the principle of quotas, and adopted the principle of partnership in forming government, ensuring it is a government of competencies.”

“Syria has inherited many disturbances over the past 60 years, and we cannot solve the problems all at once, but gradually,” Sharaa said, stressing that the priority now is to achieve security and stability through uniting the Syrian people and territory and promoting economic development.

On the recent unrest in Suwayda and coastal cities in Syria, he explained that committees have been formed to investigate the events there, and that international investigation committees have been allowed to enter.

Syria is committed to “holding accountable anyone who attacks civilians, as it is a state of law,” he said.