Syria's Sharaa meets Bahrain king on Gulf trip

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on Saturday received Syria’s president, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, in the leader’s first official visit to the Gulf kingdom, according to the state-run Bahrain News Agency.

The meeting took place at Al-Sakhir Palace, where the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and opportunities to strengthen cooperation across various fields, as well as developments in the region and ongoing efforts to address them, the agency reported.

The statement also noted that the talks included updates on the situation in Syria and ways to support the country’s security and stability.

Later, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani held a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Al-Shibani, during which both officials confirmed that discussions focused on expanding bilateral cooperation in areas including trade, civil aviation, energy, health, and education.

This marks al-Sharaa’s first official visit to Bahrain since assuming power following the ouster of Bashar Al-Assad on December 8, 2024.

Al-Sharaa has previously visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

Bahrain was among the first countries to express its willingness to work with Syria’s new authorities. In a letter sent in December 2024, King Hamad stated his readiness to "continue consultation and coordination with brotherly Syria" and to support regional and international organizations in efforts that serve the Syrian people.

Like several other countries, Bahrain had severed ties with the Assad regime during the early years of the Syrian uprising. However, King Hamad hosted the ousted Syrian president during the Arab League Summit held in Manama in May 2024.