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Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met with Tom Barrack, the U.S. Ambassador to Ankara and Special Envoy for Syria, in Istanbul to discuss the state of relations between Damascus and Washington and the steps that could be taken to advance them.
The meeting was announced by Syria's Foreign Ministry on its official social media account. Beyond bilateral ties, the two sides exchanged views on recent international developments and ongoing efforts to establish and sustain stability in the region.
The Istanbul meeting comes as Syria's post-Assad government has been working to reestablish diplomatic and economic footing with Western nations following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024.
The new Syrian administration, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa and the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-linked transitional government, has sought international legitimacy and the lifting of longstanding sanctions that have crippled the country's economy.
The United States, which maintained sweeping sanctions on Syria under the Assad government, has been gradually engaging with Damascus's new leadership.
Barrack, who serves a dual role as Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria, has emerged as a key American interlocutor in that process, with Ankara serving as a central diplomatic hub for Syria-related discussions given Türkiye's significant influence over the country's transition.
The two sides also reviewed the broader regional landscape, with discussions touching on efforts to maintain stability, according to the Syrian Foreign Ministry. The talks did not produce any announced agreements or joint statements.
Syria remains one of the most complex diplomatic files in the Middle East, with multiple foreign powers holding stakes in its political and security trajectory. Türkiye, which borders Syria and hosts millions of Syrian refugees, has played an outsized role in shaping the post-Assad transition.
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