Jordan’s foreign minister has held talks in Damascus with Syria’s de facto ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa, as regional leaders seek to engage with the new government following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad two weeks ago.
“We stand with our Syrian brothers as they begin to rebuild,” Ayman Safadi told Al Jazeera on Monday.
“We want a stable, safe and secure Syria that guarantees the rights of its people through a transition process consistent with the wishes of the Syrian people,” Safadi added.
Mohammed al-Khulaifi, Minister of State in the Qatari Foreign Ministry, also arrived in the Syrian capital, just days after Doha opened its embassy in Damascus after 13 years.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said al-Khulaifi would hold a series of meetings with Syrian officials “to clarify Qatar’s firm position in providing comprehensive support to the Syrian people.”
Monday’s high-profile diplomatic visit came a day after Turkey’s foreign minister promised help in the war-torn country’s political transition and reconstruction following a meeting with the new government.
Hakan Fidan and al-Sharaa stressed on Sunday the need for unity and stability in Syria and called for the lifting of all international sanctions against the war-ravaged country.
Turkiye supported Syrian opposition fighters led by al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), who led the offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad’s 54-year rule.
Safadi also noted that Syria’s security and stability are crucial for Jordan and the region.
“We share a 375 kilometer long border with Syria. We want this border to be stable, free from terrorist organizations, free from drug and arms smuggling,” he told Al Jazeera.
In recent years, Jordan has tightened border controls to crack down on drug and weapons smuggling along the border with Syria. One of the main smuggled drugs is the amphetamine-like stimulant Captagon, which is in high demand in the oil-rich Gulf.
“We are working on the challenges today and discussing the security of our common border with Mr. Sharaa,” Safadi said.
Jordan’s foreign minister also condemned Israeli attacks on Syria in recent days, saying: “It is an encroachment on Syria’s sovereignty.”
“Israel should withdraw from Syrian territory in compliance with the 1974 agreement,” he added.
Jordan also hosted a summit earlier this month where senior Arab, Turkish, EU and US diplomats called for an inclusive and peaceful transition after more than a decade of war.
Reporting from Damascus, Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra said the new authorities in Syria were eager for more recognition from neighboring countries.
“As for (the meeting with) Jordan, this will be a significant boost for al-Sharaa. He wants to build bridges to Jordan. There are many tribal connections along the border between Jordan and Syria,” Ahelbarra said.
Jordan also hosted hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees, some of whom returned home after the fall of Assad. Jordan says it is hosting about 1.3 million refugees, but the United Nations says 680,000 Syrian refugees are registered there.
Al-Sharaa has hosted both Arab and Western diplomats as he seeks formal diplomatic recognition.
Al Jazeera’s Ahebarra noted that al-Sharaa met the Turkish foreign minister yesterday and later a top adviser to the Saudi king to discuss Syria’s future.
According to the Syrian ambassador in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is expected to send a delegation soon.
In addition to neighboring Arab countries, al-Sharaa has also received numerous foreign delegations since coming to power.
On Friday, the US’s top Middle East diplomat, Barbara Leaf, met with Syria’s de facto leader. Leaf said she expected Syria to completely end any role for Iran in its affairs. A handful of European delegations have also visited in recent days.
Sultan Barakat of Doha-based Hamad bin Khalifa University told Al Jazeera: “I think the Jordanians, as well as neighboring countries, were emboldened by the Americans who visited (Syria) first…Virtually all regional forces, except Iran. “We are very happy that the regime change has taken place.”
“They understand that the Syrian people have been suffering for over 50 years, especially in the last 13 years, which has led to great instability in the region. Therefore, everyone welcomes stability in Syria,” he said.
Separately, Iran reiterated its support for Syria’s sovereignty on Monday and said the country should not become a “haven for terrorism” following the overthrow of President al-Assad, whom Tehran backed militarily.
“Our principled position on Syria is very clear: to preserve the sovereignty and integrity of Syria and to give the Syrian people the opportunity to decide their future without destructive outside interference,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in a weekly statement Press conference.
