Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in New York on Monday ahead of the United Nations General Assembly. This is an important trip for the Syrian leader, during which he will meet with the leaders of other countries and seek to increase investment in Syria. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi also traveled to New York hoping to push a message about how Iraq will rein in Iranian-backed militias.
Taken together, Iraq and Syria form a key bloc in the Middle East. Both are large and populous countries. Both were, until recently, divided by conflict. For instance, ISIS once controlled swaths of both Iraq and Syria.
These countries are the heartland of the historic Levant. Iraq, the land of the two rivers, played a role in the birth of civilization in the region. Syria is also an ancient land and one with ruins from the Roman and Crusader eras. Both Baghdad and Damascus also played key roles in Islamic history.
Today Iraq and Syria are quite different.
Iraq suffers from Iranian influence and Iranian-backed militias. It is suffering economically because it can’t export as much oil as previously due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Syria recently embraced by US as Israel opposes new government, Turkish influence
Syria, by contrast, is trying to get back on its feet after many years of civil war. Syria has closer ties to Saudi Arabia and Turkey. It has also been embraced by the US over the last year.
Israel, in contrast to the United States and other countries that embraced the new Syria, has tended to oppose the Syrian government and threaten Turkey’s role in Syria. Aware of Israel’s military strength and clout in the US, Syria is being careful not to create more tension with Jerusalem.
Syria’s delegation to the UN confab includes “Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, Emergency and Disaster Management Minister Raed al-Saleh, and a number of other officials.” Syrian state SANA media reported that “during his visit, President al-Sharaa is scheduled to deliver the Syrian Arab Republic’s address before the General Assembly, hold talks with a number of world leaders and senior officials, and meet members of the Syrian community in the United States.”
Syrian state media also noted that “President Ahmad al-Sharaa met with members of the US Congress in New York on Tuesday for talks on bilateral relations, developments in Syria, and regional and international issues.” It added that “Foreign and Expatriates Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and other officials attended the meeting. The talks addressed relations between Syria and the United States and the situation in Syria, as well as the latest regional and international developments.”
Meanwhile, The National in the United Arab Emirates noted that “US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi discussed the importance of disarming militia groups in Iraq, as the deadline to bring arms under state control was pushed from the end of this month to June next year.” This is an important meeting.
Rubio and the Iraqi prime minister “agreed on the importance of Iraq dismantling terrorist militias, preventing attacks from Iraqi territory, and fully exercising its sovereignty,” a statement from the State Department read.
The goal is to get Iraq to rein in the Iranian-backed militias, many of which are designated terrorist groups by the US. Zaidi has now said he wants to see the arms under state control by June 2027, according to an interview with The New York Times.
“Militia groups have largely pushed back against the deadline to disarm. Two prominent pro-Tehran armed groups, Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Kataib Imam Ali, alongside cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s Saraya al-Salam faction, claim they have placed their weapons under state authority. But hardline factions – mainly Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba – have said they will not disarm until foreign troops leave,” The National added.
Zaidi’s US meetings aimed at getting support for Iraq
Zaidi’s meetings in the US, with Rubio and others, are aimed at getting support for Iraq. He wants to see more investment and hopes for a new partnership with America after its forces leave.
Both Iraq and Syria are at a crossroads. The meetings at the UN indicate that they are seeking a new future in the region. If they succeed, that will stabilize a large swath of the Middle East between Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. If they are unable to bring home the investment they need, there will be difficult times ahead.