At Sulaymaniyah Forum, Barbara Leaf Calls for Swift Aid to Syria, Lebanon in Transition
“The people of Syria and Lebanon must be supported in facing the daunting challenges ahead and in reconstructing their countries,” Barbara Leaf asserted.
By Ahora Qadi
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Barbara Leaf, the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, stated on Wednesday that the past six months have witnessed a marked liberation of Syrians and Lebanese from the entrenched control of the Assad regime and Hezbollah, describing it as a pivotal moment that demands swift international action.
Speaking during a panel session at the ninth Sulaymaniyah Forum2025, hosted by the American University of Iraq in Sulaymaniyah, Leaf said:
"After more than five decades, Syrians are emerging from under the rule of the Assad family, and the Lebanese are moving beyond Hezbollah’s dominance. This is a genuine opportunity for peace in the region.”
She emphasized that the current phase requires urgent regional and international response. “The people of Syria and Lebanon must be supported in facing the daunting challenges ahead and in reconstructing their countries,” she asserted.
Leaf also highlighted Iran’s continued role in sustaining Bashar al-Assad’s regime — a regime she said was responsible for the deaths of more than one million civilians. She reaffirmed that the United States remains committed to aiding the Syrian people and ensuring that extremist groups such as ISIS do not re-emerge.
Drawing on her experience in both the Biden and Trump administrations, Leaf underscored Washington’s consistent efforts to support Syrians and reduce tensions between the new Syrian authorities and neighboring states. “There is a genuine American commitment to political transformation in Syria and across the region,” she said.
The Sulaymaniyah Forum, now in its ninth edition, kicked off Wednesday and continues through Thursday, April 17, 2025. Held under the banner “Envisioning Regional Peace”, the forum features a wide array of high-level participants from Iraq, the Middle East, and beyond. The event is organized in collaboration with globally respected institutions including Chatham House, the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut, the Century Foundation, and the International Crisis Group.
