Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa held a series of meetings Monday, September 15, with regional leaders on the sidelines of the emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha, convened after Israel’s airstrike on the Qatari capital.
Sharaa met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, according to statements from the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The discussions focused on bilateral relations and regional coordination, officials said.
The Syrian presidency said Sharaa’s participation reflected Syria’s “firm position in support of the sovereignty of brotherly countries and rejection of external aggressions.”
Summit Context and Qatar’s Position
The summit was convened in response to the September 9 Israeli strike on a residence in Doha used by Hamas officials and their families. The attack killed a Qatari internal security officer and five Hamas members, though the group said its leadership survived.
In his opening address, Sheikh Tamim denounced the airstrike as a “cowardly terrorist act” and said Israel sought to divide Syria and destabilize the wider region. The emir stressed that Qatar would continue to pursue mediation between Israel and Hamas despite the attack.
Syrian Diplomatic Engagements
Sharaa’s talks extended beyond Gulf leaders. The Syrian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani held separate meetings with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack. The sessions took place during the preparatory ministerial meeting Sunday, September 14, which brought together officials from the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also met with Barrack to review “the latest developments in Syria” and explore ways to enhance cooperation between Doha and Washington in support of Syrian national stability.
Shared Concerns and Regional Coordination
The series of encounters highlighted efforts by Syrian officials to reassert their presence on the regional stage following years of conflict and isolation. Discussions with Lebanon and Turkey focused on border security and economic cooperation, according to diplomatic sources, while talks with Saudi Arabia centered on broader Arab coordination.
In a related development, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, who also attended the Doha meetings, called for urgent humanitarian access to Gaza and voiced support for stability initiatives in Syria and Lebanon. She noted that discussions would continue on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York later this month.
