UN Security Council expresses readiness to support Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria (MNTV) – A United Nations Security Council delegation made its first-ever visit to Syria on Thursday, pledging support for the country as it approaches the one-year anniversary of Bashar al-Assad’s ouster.

“We reiterated our clear support for the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Syria,” Slovenian UN ambassador Samuel Zbogar told reporters in Damascus.

He said the delegation’s message was that Syria’s path toward a “new future” must be “Syria-led and Syria-owned,” adding that the international community stands ready to help rebuild trust after nearly 14 years of war.

The delegation met with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose forces led the offensive that removed Assad from power last December. The meeting was accompanied by discussions on reconciliation, political inclusivity, reconstruction, economic development, counterterrorism, and efforts to ensure Syria does not threaten regional security.

The UN recently lifted sanctions on Sharaa, signaling a broader effort to reestablish relations with the new leadership. Delegates also met with communities in the Syrian coast and in Sweida, where sectarian violence earlier this year left hundreds dead among Alawite and Druze communities.

Zbogar said committees investigating the violence, as well as the national commission for missing persons, were part of Thursday’s meetings. The delegation also toured Damascus’s Old City and the war-damaged suburb of Jobar.

The visit comes amid a year-old ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, which UN officials say remains fragile. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed hope the trip will deepen dialogue between Syria and the UN after years of mistrust.