Officials and the Saudi defense minister discuss the Syrian political transition

Saudi defense minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met with senior members of Syria’s new administration in Riyadh on Thursday, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The discussions centered on furthering Syria’s transitional political process in order to achieve the Syrian people’s expectations while also guaranteeing the country’s security, stability, and territorial integrity, according to the SPA.

Foreign Minister Asaad bin Hassan Al-Shaibani led the Syrian delegation, which included Defense Minister Major General Marhaf Abu Qasra and General Intelligence Service Chief Anas Khattab.

The conference also included key Saudi officials, such as Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Prince Abdulrahman bin Mohammed, Deputy Minister of Defense; and Chief of General Intelligence Khalid bin Ali Al-Humaidan.

The high-level Syrian delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night.

Saudi Deputy FM Waleed Elkhereiji met the delegation at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport.

On Monday, Al-Shibani announced on X that he has accepted an offer from his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan to visit the Kingdom, his first international trip since former President Bashar Assad’s resignation on December 8.

It comes after Syria’s new leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, said Saudi Arabia had a significant role to play in his country’s future during an interview with Al Arabiya that aired Sunday.

“Saudi Arabia has a major role in Syria’s future, and I take pride in everything it has done for us,” he said, adding that he spent his early youth in Riyadh and intended to return.

Al-Sharaa also described recent Saudi statements as “very positive” and applauded Riyadh’s efforts to stabilize Syria.