Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa visits Saudi Arabia

Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday (February 2) for his first international visit since the toppling of Bashar al-Assad, state media reported.

The presidency posted a picture on X of Sharaa and his foreign minister aboard what appeared to be a private jet with the caption "President Sharaa and Asaad al-Shaibani travel to Saudi Arabia, first official visit".

Sharaa, whose Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham led the overthrow of Assad in December, was named interim president on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman and his son, the country's facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, were among the first to congratulate Sharaa on his official appointment.

According to state news agency SANA, Sharaa and al-Shaibani are set to meet Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman during the visit.

The Syrian authorities are counting on wealthy Gulf countries to finance the reconstruction of their war-ravaged nation and revive its economy.

On Thursday, Damascus received Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who "stressed the urgent need to form a government representing all spectrums" of Syrian society in order "to consolidate stability and move forward with reconstruction, development and prosperity projects".

According to Damascus, the two sides discussed reconstruction. This diplomatic activity between Syria and Saudi Arabia could create a new equation in Middle Eastern politics. It is believed that Saudi Arabia's potential investment and strategic cooperation will play an important role in the reconstruction of war-torn Syria.

The outcome of this visit will be helpful in determining the course of relations between the two countries in the future.

The new Syrian authorities have received a steady stream of diplomatic visitors since toppling Assad in December, with Shaibani conducting several foreign visits that most recently saw him participate in the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.