DOHA, Qatar

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani during a brief visit to Qatar earlier this week, facilitated by Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, a senior Iraqi government source told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) on Thursday.

The tripartite meeting, held in the presence of the Qatari emir, addressed the volatile regional situation, particularly ongoing developments in Syria, the source said.

The source did not specify the exact date of the meeting but Sharaa and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun were in Qatar on Tuesday.

No official statements from Qatar or Syria have been issued as of yet.

Sudani emphasized Iraq’s “close monitoring of Syria’s developments, including the presence of Israeli occupation forces on Syrian soil.”

He reiterated Iraq’s unwavering stance, advocating for a comprehensive political process in Syria that safeguards its diverse social, religious, and national components.

The Iraqi leader also called for the protection of sacred sites, places of worship, and the rights of all Syrian communities, according to the INA.

The prime minister specifically urged respect for human rights, citing recent incidents involving Syria’s Alawite community, the source added.