September 20, 2025 | 05:36 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani raised the flag at the Syrian Embassy in Washington, D.C., United States, for the first time in over ten years on Friday.
The ceremony was attended by the Syrian-American community, who referred to the moment as a historic day for the Syrian people and the beginning of a new chapter in bilateral relations, nine months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
The flag-raising took place ahead of the visit of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to New York to attend the UN General Assembly. This will be the first visit of a Syrian president to the United States in the last 58 years.
"Of course, it is a historical moment," said Shaibani to Anadolu as quoted by Antara after the ceremony, adding that the moment reflects the struggle of the Syrian people during the 14-year civil war.
Raghad Bushnaq (55), a Syrian-American descendant from Damascus who has been living in the United States since 1989, said that the day was something she had never imagined before.
"I do remember last time I was here, maybe 15 years ago, the ambassador was taking our pictures from inside to report to Assad. And when I looked at most of my friends, I found them all covering their faces. And now we’re here, happy. It’s a historical moment. You can smell the freedom in Syria," she said.
Bushnaq also expressed gratitude to Turkey and all the countries that have helped and supported the Syrian people.
Meanwhile, Ameer Alsamman, a Syrian-American and founder of the Syria Speaks podcast program, called the day the real beginning of a new chapter in U.S.-Syria relations.
"Today it’s a new chapter. Hopefully, Damascus and Washington will be working on a much better relationship. And I think this is a sign that things are going in the right direction," he said.
Regarding the issue of permanently lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria, Alsamman said that many, including himself, want this. "I think a lot of people, of course, want Syria’s sanctions to be removed. I want Syria’s sanctions to be removed. I think a lot of members of Congress do. President Donald Trump has spoken as much. I’m hopeful," he said.
During his visit, Shaibani met with several members of Congress and senior U.S. officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack.
According to the U.S. government, the discussions at the State Department covered the future of Syria, Syria-Israel relations, and the March 10 agreement between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The agreement announced by the Syrian presidency earlier this year included a plan to integrate the SDF into state institutions, reaffirm territorial integrity, and reject separatist agendas.
Shaibani's visit to Washington on Thursday marked the first visit of a Syrian foreign minister to the U.S. in over 25 years.
The historic visit took place amid Damascus' efforts to expand diplomatic involvement after years of isolation due to the civil war and the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
Assad, who had led Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia at the end of 2024, ending the dominance of the Ba'ath Party that had been in power since 1963.
In January, a new transitional government led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was officially formed in Syria.
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