Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara met Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Wednesday, on his second visit to the kingdom in weeks.
The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen co-operation across various fields, as well as regional and international developments and issues of mutual interest, Syrian state news agency Sana reported.
They also stressed the importance of promoting security and stability in the region, the report said.
Mr Al Shara arrived in the Saudi capital earlier in the day, along with a high-level delegation that comprises the foreign, defence, finance and industry ministers, as well as the head of the General Intelligence Directorate.
Wednesday’s visit is Mr Al Shara’s second trip to Saudi Arabia in weeks. He visited Riyadh on October 6 and met Prince Mohammed.
The two had discussed bilateral relations and “promising opportunities for developing these relations in various fields”, as well as the latest regional developments.
The latest visit comes days after Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani said that Damascus considered security in the Gulf as part of its own and was holding negotiations on joining the Makkah defence agreement.
Speaking at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, Mr Al Shibani said there had been “some negotiations” on integration into the pact, adding that Syria would stand by any organisation that protects regional security, whether or not it joins the agreement. He also stressed the need for co-operation on deterrence and defence.
The pact was signed in August between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey and views an attack on one of them as an attack on all.
Saudi Arabia has faced repeated drone and missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis in recent weeks, targeting airports, oil facilities and military sites.
Mr Al Shara also visited Saudi Arabia in April, meeting Prince Mohammed in Jeddah. Their talks covered regional developments, efforts to strengthen bilateral relations, economic and investment ties, and “regional connectivity projects”.
Saudi Arabia has emerged as a major investor in Syria since Mr Al Shara took power in 2024, following a rebel offensive that ousted former president Bashar Al Assad.
