UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is wrapping up a historic three-day visit to Syria.
It is the first visit by a sitting head of the world body to the country in 17 years. The visit coincided with a key statement by the new Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who announced that Damascus is actively working to reach an international security agreement with Israel.
A new era in diplomacy: Syria and Israel at the negotiating table
In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera television broadcast on Sunday, President Ahmed al-Sharaa confirmed that Syria is seeking a security agreement with Israel, which is being brokered by several countries.
- Purpose of the pact: The Syrian leader stressed that Damascus avoids a direct military confrontation with Israel, as it is not in the interest of the country trying to recover from 14 years of civil war.
- Status of the Golan Heights: Al-Sharaa explicitly clarified that any agreement would not compromise Syria's sovereign right over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
- Position on Lebanon: Syria rules out any military intervention in neighboring Lebanon, supporting the sovereign right of the Lebanese state to control weapons on its territory.
Official details of the diplomatic initiative were published on the international portal Al Jazeera (see: www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/26/president-ahmed-al-sharaa-syria-seeking-security-deal-with-israel).
Guterres in Damascus: Condemnation of Israeli incursions
During a press conference in Damascus together with Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shibani, Antonio Guterres expressed serious concerns about security in southern Syria. In recent days, Israeli forces have carried out new incursions and shelling outside the buffer zone, violating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
“Violations of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity are unacceptable and must stop. The Golan Heights are Syrian territory,“ Guterres said firmly. The UN chief announced that he would submit a comprehensive report on the issue to the UN Security Council at the end of the month.
Details of the visit and the UN position are reported by Reuters (see: www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/guterres-set-be-first-un-chief-visit-syria-since-before-2011-war-2026-07-25/) and the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (see: www.bta.bg/bg/news/world/1173708-v-siriya-generalniyat-sekretar-na-oon-opredeli-kato-nepriemliva-situatsiyata-k).
Call for immediate lifting of sanctions
The UN Secretary-General has described the current moment as a “moment of opportunity“ for Syria after the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime at the end of 2024. Guterres called on the international community to immediately lift all economic sanctions imposed on the country.
According to the UN, Syria needs massive investments to rebuild critical infrastructure, health and education, as well as for the safe return of more than 11 million refugees and internally displaced persons. The reconstruction process is estimated by the World Bank at nearly $216 billion.
You can read the official UN report on the humanitarian situation on the Euronews platform (see: www.euronews.com/2026/07/26/un-chief-calls-for-end-of-all-sanctions-on-syria-during-second-day-of-visit).
On Monday, Antonio Guterres' visit will conclude with a historic address to the new Syrian National Assembly, after which he will depart for Cyprus.