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Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Friday that the occupied Syrian Golan belongs to Syria and that any recognition by any country of Israel’s claim to the territory is invalid.
He added that Damascus is working toward a security arrangement that would secure Israel’s withdrawal from areas it occupied after Dec. 8, 2024, and a return to the 1974 lines.
Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Sharaa said the international community recognizes the Golan as Syrian territory under Israeli occupation.
“Any recognition by any country of Israel’s claim to the occupied Syrian Golan is invalid. The international community affirms that the Golan is Syrian territory under Israeli occupation,” he said.
He also accused Israel of violating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
According to Sharaa, Syria is working to reach a security agreement that would ensure Israel’s withdrawal from the areas it occupied following the fall of the former regime on Dec. 8, 2024, and its return to the 1974 lines.
He said such an arrangement could be achieved either by restoring the disengagement agreement or by concluding a new agreement that guarantees security for both sides.
“If such an agreement is reached, we may engage in long-term negotiations to resolve the issue of the occupied Golan,” he said.
Sharaa said Syria had an accord with the Israeli army on reintegration that was not respected at first but is now being implemented gradually.
He also said Israeli ceasefire violations remain under discussion.
His remarks placed the Golan issue at the center of Syria’s message at the forum, alongside calls for security guarantees and withdrawal from newly occupied areas.
Sharaa also said Syria seeks to stay out of regional wars and continues to advocate dialogue and diplomacy as the main means of resolving disputes.
He said Syria had worked before the war to prevent conflict from breaking out because of the serious consequences it would have for the region.
“Despite this, we did not engage in the conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel,” he said.
He added that Syria is affected by developments in Lebanon and supports U.S. efforts to stabilize the situation there.
“We welcome the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump to halt the ongoing war in Lebanon and hope to move toward a phase of correcting regional trajectories to prevent the recurrence of such wars,” he said.
Sharaa said Syria is moving away from alignment with one state against another and instead seeks to serve as a bridge between major powers.
He said Syria now maintains strong relations with the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and countries across the region.
According to him, Syria was used in the past as a “mailbox” for regional conflicts and as a platform to fulfill external aims, including weapons trafficking, but that this has now ended with greater stability.
He said Syria is now shaping a new chapter, transforming from a conduit for conflict into a platform for sustainable investment.
Sharaa said U.S. vehicles recently left a U.S. base in northern Syria and that northern Syria is now free.
He said there is currently no cause for conflict and reaffirmed full support for Syria’s territorial integrity.
On reconstruction, he said Syria is guided by an investment vision aimed at rebuilding the country and improving the business environment.
He said many funding pledges had been made but many had not materialized, and that what is needed now is real, tangible investment.
He also said Syria aims to build self-sufficiency and rejects funding that is politicized or tied to external agendas.
According to Sharaa, Syria presents significant opportunities, including energy resources and growing international attention, and could emerge as a bridge for transport and investment links between Gulf countries and Türkiye.
Sharaa highlighted Syria’s path to development by focusing on the return of its global diaspora, asserting that the skills acquired by citizens abroad are vital to the country’s future.
Addressing the long-term impact of displacement, Sharaa noted that many Syrians were forced to migrate and spent extensive periods abroad. During this time, they gained significant qualifications and experience. He expects many to return and apply those skills domestically, which he believes could help Syria develop further, specifically as a major agricultural supplier.
Reflecting on the nation’s heritage, the president described Syria as a historical center of humanity and early coexistence. He pointed out that the country became isolated due to the former regime’s policies, but pledged that Syria would return to what it once was and become strong again.
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