UNITED NATIONS: Turning the page on decades of distance, Syria&rsquo;s president addressed the UN General Assembly, marking the first time any president from his country has done so in almost 60 years.&nbsp;Ahmad al-Sharaa said on Wednesday that Syria is returning to the international community after six decades of dictatorship that killed 1 million people and tortured hundreds of thousands.&nbsp;&ldquo;Syria is reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world,&rdquo; he told the assembly&rsquo;s annual gathering of world leaders.&nbsp;Al-Sharaa became the first Syrian head of state to speak at the United Nations since Noureddine Attasi gave a speech in 1967 shortly after the Arab-Israeli war, during which Damascus lost control of the Golan Heights that Israel later annexed in 1981.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Assad family dynasty&rsquo;s autocratic, repressive 50-year rule in Syria abruptly collapsed in December, when then-President Bashar Assad was ousted in a lightning insurgent offensive led by al-Sharaa. Assad&rsquo;s fall ended nearly 14 years of civil war.&nbsp;Al-Sharaa blasted Israel in his speech, saying that it did not stop its threats to his country since the fall of President Bashar Assad in December, adding that its policies &ldquo;contradict with the international community&rsquo;s support to Syria and its people&rdquo; and endanger the region.&nbsp;Negotiations have been underway for a security deal that al-Sharaa has said he hopes will bring about a withdrawal of Israeli forces and return to a 1974 disengagement agreement. While al-Sharaa said last week that a deal could be reached in a matter of days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in remarks Sunday, appeared to downplay the odds of a breakthrough.

Syria interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Middle East

Syria’s president addressed the UN General Assembly for the first time in nearly 60 years, marking the country’s return after Assad’s ouster. Ahmad al-Sharaa condemned Israel and called for regional stability talks.

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Syrian president addresses UN for first time in six decades