Al-Shaibani: 'Today's Syria Is for Everyone'

By Kamaran Aziz

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In an address to the International Security Council on Friday, Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani issued a dual call for the immediate lifting of international sanctions and the full withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Syrian territory, portraying both as critical steps toward regional stability and national recovery.

Speaking in a session dedicated to evaluating the protracted crisis in Syria, al-Shaibani declared that Syria was prepared to turn a historic corner. He painted a picture of a transformed nation, committed to pluralism, inclusion, and reconciliation with its exiled population. "Today's Syria is for everyone," he stated, "including those who once fled the country out of fear."

The Syrian Foreign Minister said that multicultural diversity would be fully acknowledged and protected, and that every Syrian would enjoy a voice and basic rights in the country's future. “Syria is ready to give hope to all those who wish to return,” he affirmed.

However, al-Shaibani was candid about the formidable challenges that persist.

He warned of ongoing security threats within and beyond Syria’s borders, emphasizing that sustainable peace and reconstruction were contingent upon tangible international action—particularly the lifting of what he described as punitive and obsolete sanctions.

“These sanctions were not imposed on a government, but on the regime of Assad,” al-Shaibani argued, appearing to draw a distinction that some analysts say may be part of a broader diplomatic rebranding strategy. He added that sanctions were strangling the nation’s economic potential.

“If these sanctions are lifted, Syria will move from a future full of problems to a very bright and prosperous future, one that contributes to the stability of the whole region,” he stated.

Turning to regional dynamics, the Foreign Minister issued a scathing condemnation of Israel's military presence in parts of Syria, accusing it of repeatedly violating Syrian sovereignty and undermining any prospects for peace.

“Israel’s occupation and aggression cannot be ignored,” he declared, urging the Security Council to intensify pressure on Tel Aviv to comply with the terms of the 1974 disengagement agreement.

Reinforcing his message of national rehabilitation, al-Shaibani called on foreign governments to normalize relations with Damascus. “We urge countries to reopen their embassies and consulates in Syria,” he said, vowing that Syria would no longer pose a threat to any neighbor or to global security.

Friday’s speech represents one of the Syrian government’s most assertive appeals in recent years, aiming to break a decade-long pattern of isolation, economic stagnation, and intermittent warfare.

Whether the international community will heed al-Shaibani’s call remains to be seen, but the messaging clearly signals a strategic pivot in Damascus—one that seeks rehabilitation over confrontation, without compromising on sovereignty or past grievances.