Syria’s reopening of embassies in the US and the UK last week, and its preparation to restore a full diplomatic mission in Turkey, reflects a significant shift in the country’s foreign policy after the fall of Assad’s regime. The moves come as President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani work to reestablish formal ties with Western and regional powers following over a decade of isolation.
The Syrian flag rose above the embassy in London on Thursday during an official ceremony attended by Shaibani and members of the diplomatic mission. In a message on his X account, Shaibani said, “After years of isolation imposed by the chemical Assad regime, we are reopening the Syrian embassy in London. Syria is returning to the world with its free identity.” The UK had closed the mission in 2012 and expelled Syrian diplomats, a step mirrored by Syria when it shut the British embassy in Damascus the same year.
Rebuilding Relations With Western Capitals
Syria’s renewed diplomatic presence follows a series of decisions by London and Washington to lift restrictions imposed on Damascus. Shaibani said he received confirmation from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Washington had removed legal measures previously placed on Syria’s mission. He described the policy change as part of a strategic plan to restore Syria’s full diplomatic capacity in the United States. Days earlier, Sharaa met President Donald Trump at the White House in the first official Syrian presidential visit to Washington since independence in 1946.
Shaibani told Chatham House in London that the reopening marks a transition from estrangement to “advanced relations,” noting that Britain “removed sanctions early and opened relations with the new Syrian government quickly,” according to his remarks reported by SANA. British officials pledged to support Syria’s agricultural and educational sectors and indicated interest in participating in development projects inside the country.
Ankara Discussions Signal Regional Reorientation
During the same London visit, Shaibani confirmed ongoing talks with Turkey to reopen the Syrian embassy in Ankara. He said the building once used by the previous government had been lost after unpaid rent but that Syria had already opened a consulate in Gaziantep and received approval from Turkish authorities to expand consular services. “Our mission and embassy in Turkey are important because we have special relations with Turkey,” he told Anadolu Agency.
Shaibani said the Foreign Ministry plans to restructure Syria’s diplomatic network at the beginning of next year, increasing the number of missions from 54 to about 70. He said Damascus conducted interviews with roughly one thousand candidates for diplomatic positions and accepted about one third.
Diplomacy and Domestic Transformation
Officials have linked the renewed diplomatic outreach to political reforms at home. Shaibani told London audiences that Syria is “exhausted and going through a transitional phase,” adding that the leadership aims to create a healthy political climate and organize future presidential and parliamentary elections. He said the government supports a transitional justice process to address crimes committed under the Assad government.
While countries continue to assess the political trajectory of post-Assad Syria, the reopening of its embassies signals a coordinated attempt to reenter global diplomacy and rebuild relationships once severed by conflict.
