'Syria now laboratory for new regional alignment of diplomacy,' says US envoy

US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said on Sunday that "Syria is now a laboratory for a new regional alignment of diplomacy, integration and hope for the entire region." Barrack's remarks came in a post on X, following a Saturday meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to discuss developments in Syria and the region. Just over a year ago, @POTUS visionary meeting with President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia opened a new chapter — announcing the lifting of sanctions to “give Syria a chance at greatness.” A bold and hopeful gesture for Syria and the region. Under President al-Sharaa’s… https://t.co/xTQuX06Rbv — Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) May 17, 2026 Under Sharaa's leadership and with "the dedicated diplomacy" of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, Syria has achieved "remarkable" progress, said the envoy. The opportunities ahead offer "exponential advancement" for the Syrian people and enduring stability, he added. The meeting took place at the People’s Palace in Damascus. The Syrian Arab News Agency reported the two sides discussed “developments in Syria and the region, and ways to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries.”