Syria’s al-Sharaa Meets Saudi Crown Prince in Riyadh, Second Visit in Weeks
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Wednesday, his second visit in weeks. His defense minister and intelligence chief joined a delegation focused on cooperation and regional security.
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The two leaders held talks at Al-Yamamah Palace on Nov. 4, with ministers and senior officials from both countries in the room, according to the Syrian presidency and Anadolu. It is al-Sharaa’s sixth trip to Saudi Arabia since taking office.
According to the Syrian presidency, the talks covered “bilateral relations and ways to develop them and strengthen cooperation between the two brotherly countries in various fields.” The two sides also reviewed regional and international developments and stressed “the importance of strengthening security and stability in the region.”
Security-Heavy Delegation
Al-Sharaa arrived leading a delegation that included Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, the ministers of defense, finance and industry, and the head of Syria’s General Intelligence Directorate, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) and SANA said.
He was received at King Khalid International Airport by Riyadh Region Deputy Governor Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Riyadh Mayor Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf and Transport Minister Saleh Al-Jasser, Asharq Al-Awsat reported. The paper said Riyadh and Damascus are seeking to coordinate positions on security and counter-terrorism, and to explore investment in industry and trade.
Mecca Defense Pact in View
The visit comes days after al-Shibani said Damascus regards Gulf security as part of its own and is in talks on joining the Mecca defense pact, according to The National. The pact binds Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, which signed a trilateral defense agreement.
Agreements on the Table
Before the meeting, SANA said al-Sharaa would meet the crown prince “to discuss a number of bilateral issues, in addition to signing several agreements across various sectors.” The statements released after the talks did not list any signed deals.
On the eve of the visit, Syrian Industry Minister Basel Abdul Hannan met Saudi Ambassador to Damascus Ghazi bin Rafea al-Anzi to discuss a draft memorandum of understanding on industrial cooperation, covering industrial cities and zones, production efficiency and industrial financing.
A day earlier, the Saudi Cabinet authorized the human resources minister to negotiate and sign a memorandum with Syria on labor-market development and skills, Economy Middle East reported.
Second Riyadh Trip in Weeks
Al-Sharaa last met the crown prince in Riyadh on Oct. 6, when the talks focused on reconstruction, infrastructure, energy, industry, agriculture and trade. He also invited Mohammed bin Salman to visit Syria. In April, the two met in Jeddah to discuss economic ties and regional connectivity projects.
Riyadh was al-Sharaa’s first foreign destination as president in February 2025. Saudi Arabia has since become one of the largest investors in Syria’s recovery after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, while al-Sharaa pushes changes at home, including a history curriculum overhaul. A Syrian-Saudi investment forum in Damascus in July 2025 produced 47 agreements worth nearly 24 billion riyals.
Kamer Kurunç
Kamer Kurunç is the Team Leader of Clash Report and has led the outlet for four years. He oversees its breaking world news coverage, from the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war to defense and global politics. His focus is fast, verified, source-based reporting. Follow him on X at @kamerknc.
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