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Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa made history at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, delivering a speech that marked the first time in nearly six decades a Syrian leader has addressed the world body. His appearance in New York drew thousands of Syrian supporters who gathered outside UN headquarters, celebrating what they described as a new chapter for their war-torn country and urging U.S. President Donald Trump to back Syria’s reintegration into the international community.
The moment carried special weight for Syrians abroad, many of whom fled during the country’s 14-year civil war. They waved flags, carried banners, and chanted calls for peace and reconstruction. For them, the sight of a Syrian president welcomed at the U.N. was both symbolic and deeply personal.
Hamza Mustafa, Syria’s information minister, joined the demonstration and told Fox News Digital it was an emotional day. “It’s a historical moment for all the Syrian people — after 14 years of conflict, after revolution, after a lot of sacrifice, now we are here representing the Syrian people,” he said. “We are gathering with the Syrian people to say that we are all serious in our struggle for a united and sovereign Syria.”
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President of Syria Ahmad Al-Sharaa speaks during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the United Nations headquarters on Sept. 24, 2025, in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Mustafa also thanked the Trump administration for steps to ease sanctions, saying, “As a government, we say thank you to Mr. Trump for his courage in lifting sanctions on Syria.”
In his U.N. address, President al-Sharaa called for lifting sanctions, pledging to pursue “a new Syria built on unity, sovereignty, and peace with its neighbors.” He said the conflict had brought “untold suffering” and emphasized that “Syrians deserve the right to rebuild their lives, their homes, and their country.”
Syria’s Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, Raad Saleh, addressed reports of a U.S.-brokered security agreement with Israel, telling Fox News Digital: “It’s a political decision, and we are leaving it to our president to take that decision. But Syrians are not looking for any conflict anymore — Syrians are only looking for reconstruction and rebuilding.”
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President Donald Trump (left) and Syrian interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa. (Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Mehmet Ali Ozcan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The stakes are high: Israel has carried out dozens of strikes across Syria in recent months, targeting what officials say are Iranian-backed forces, weapons depots and positions near the Israeli border. Israeli officials have framed the operations as both a warning to Syria’s new leadership and a move to protect vulnerable minorities such as the Druze, who have faced attacks and massacres under al-Sharaa’s government.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will speak at UNGA on Friday, said in a statement that any deal “is contingent on securing Israel’s interests,” including the “demilitarization of southwestern Syria and safeguarding the Druze.”
The rally outside the UN was organized by Dr. Hicham Alnachawati, who emphasized that the new Syrian leadership wants peace — including with Israel.
“This is a historic moment for us as Syrians. We haven’t seen a president give such a speech at the UN in over 57 years,” Alnachawati said. “We are hoping that this message of peace and prosperity will encourage other world leaders, and especially President Trump, to support lifting the remaining sanctions so we can rebuild a new Syria.”
Alnachawati went further, directly linking Syria’s future to regional reconciliation. “We sent a message of peace to establish relations with our neighbors, especially Israel,” he said. “Let’s extend the Abraham Accords here — this is an opportunity for the Trump administration to lead a peace process. Israelis are looking for the same thing, and Syrians are ready for peace, reconstruction, and development.”
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A view of damage at the Syrian General Staff headquarters and nearby buildings following Israeli airstrikes targeting the capital Damascus, Syria on July 17, 2025. ( Izettin Kasim/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Al-Sharaa’s past as a wanted terrorist has drawn sharp criticism from Western officials. When asked about it, Alnachawati responded that people can change, citing U.S. General David Petraeus, who has previously suggested Sharaa had the capacity to evolve into a statesman.
“I listened to Petraeus, and he said he saw this man as having hope to change,” Alnachawati said. “He wants to unite Syria, achieve peace in the region, and reflect that peace on the whole world. Syrians are ready to reestablish themselves, to live a normal life like any other citizen, and to extend their hands for peace.”
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For many Syrians who resettled in the United States, the day was especially poignant. Shadi Martini, CEO of the Multifaith Alliance and a Syrian who fled at the start of the war and personally met President al-Sharaa in Syria a few months ago, told Fox News Digital, “It’s probably been 50 or 60 years since a Syrian president came to the U.N., so it’s very historic and emotional for a lot of Syrian Americans to see. President Sharaa was greeted by so many presidents and foreign dignitaries, and hopefully there will also be a meeting with President Trump.”