Sharaa distances Syria from Iran war, says Israel talks ongoing: What to know
Negotiations with Israel "have not reached a dead end, but they are progressing with great difficulty” Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa reaffirmed in a Friday address his intent to keep Syria out of the ongoing regional conflict while commending Turkey’s role and endorsing a gradual, step-by-step approach to rapprochement with Israel.
The comments made at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum signaled Damascus’s aim to project itself as nonaligned while also positioning the country to capitalize on the geopolitical turbulence surrounding the US-Israel-Iran conflict, particularly in the domain of energy transit.
Sharaa was interviewed at the forum, an annual conference focused on navigating global challenges that's held along the Turkish coast and features senior officials from around the world, including Turkey, Central Asia and Europe. Sharaa’s participation marks his fourth trip to Turkey since assuming power after the fall of longtime President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
Avoiding war with Iran
