Saudi crown prince, Syria's interim president meet on ties, latest developments

The two sides on Sunday discussed ways to enhance Syria's security and stability, as well as opportunities for cooperation across various sectors, and exchanged views on regional developments and ongoing efforts to address them, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the Saudi Press Agency.

The Saudi crown prince congratulated al-Sharaa on assuming the presidency of Syria and wished him success in fulfilling the aspirations of the Syrian people.

For his part, al-Sharaa expressed his gratitude to the crown prince for his good wishes and the kingdom's supportive stance toward Syria and its people.

Al-Sharaa arrived in the Saudi capital on Sunday for his first official visit abroad.

He was received at the airport by Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, and several other officials.

He has led the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group since 2017 and played a key role in the offensive that led to the overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 and the establishment of the Syrian transitional government. He has been the country's de facto leader since Assad's ouster.

Syria's Military Operations Administration announced on January 29 the appointment of al-Sharaa as president during the transitional period, granting him authority to establish an interim legislative council until a permanent constitution is ratified.