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Snapshot 2:Thu, Sep 25, 2025 1:10:29 PM GMT last edited by Nick

Syrian Leader Addresses UN for the First Time in Nearly 60 Years

Syrian Leader Addresses UN for the First Time in Nearly 60 Years

Above: Ahmed Al-Sharaa, Syria's interim president, addresses the UN General Assembly in New York on Sept. 24. Image copyright: David Dee Delgado/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Spin

After a brutal 14-year civil war in which the previous Assad regime killed, displaced and tortured millions of Syrians, Al-Sharaa's presence at the UN General Assembly — the first of any Syrian leader in 60 years — marks a milestone turning point for the country in which it's able to leave behind the global isolation it faced.

While Al-Sharaa may have ditched his military garb for a suit, questions remain about whether he can shed his terrorist past. While he may say the right things in front of the international community, the truth is he will have to play a delicate balancing game with them and the jihadists that brought him to power in the first place.

Metaculus Prediction

There's a 12% chance that Syria will be partitioned into new, internationally recognized sovereign states before 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.


The Controversies



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© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.17.0

© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.17.0