Politics

Bahrain Hosts Syria’s Sharaa as Part of Widening Regional Engagement

Bahrain’s FM Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani highlighted both countries’ desire to collaborate in trade, civil aviation, energy, health, and education; “We are committed to exploring new paths for cooperation that benefit both nations.”

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, (Middle R), receiving Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, (Middle L), in Manama, May 10, 2025.
Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, (Middle R), receiving Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, (Middle L), in Manama, May 10, 2025.
Middle East Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa Syria-Bahrain relations

By Dler Mohammed

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on Saturday welcomed Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Manama, marking Sharaa’s latest stop in a series of diplomatic visits aimed at consolidating regional support following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December.

According to the Bahrain state-run News Agency, the two leaders held discussions at the royal palace, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing cooperation across key sectors. They also addressed the broader regional landscape, including the ongoing situation in Syria and prospects for stabilizing the war-torn country.

"The discussions covered the latest developments in Syria and ways to support the country's security and stability," the agency said.

In a joint press conference, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani highlighted both countries’ desire to collaborate in areas including trade, civil aviation, energy, health, and education. “We are committed to exploring new paths for cooperation that benefit both nations,” he stated.

This visit is Sharaa’s first official trip to Bahrain since assuming power on December 8, after his Islamist-led coalition succeeded in toppling Assad’s two-decade rule. Since taking office, Sharaa has visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and several European capitals in an effort to reintegrate Syria into regional and international diplomacy.

Bahrain, a longtime critic of the Assad regime during Syria’s civil war, has shown readiness to engage with the new leadership. In a letter sent shortly after Sharaa’s forces captured Damascus, King Hamad pledged Bahrain’s full cooperation and its intent to support multilateral efforts to aid the Syrian people.

This rapprochement builds on earlier signs of thawing ties, including King Hamad’s meeting with Bashar al-Assad during the Arab League summit in Manama in May 2024. Bahrain had severed diplomatic relations with Assad’s government in the early years of the Syrian uprising but was among the first Gulf countries to restore contact as regional dynamics shifted in the post-conflict era.

Sharaa’s visit is widely seen as part of a broader effort to normalize relations with Arab neighbors and reestablish Syria’s role in regional politics following years of isolation and internal conflict.

 
Dler Mohammed ,