Syria’s newly appointed interim president, Ahmed al-Shara, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday for his first foreign trip since his rebel coalition ousted longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Syria’s interim president made his first trip abroad Sunday, traveling to Saudi Arabia in a move likely trying to signal Damascus’ shift away from Iran as its main regional ally. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was once aligned with al-Qaida,

Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Saudi crown prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday during his first trip abroad since taking power. Accompanied by his foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, Sharaa was greeted by Saudi officials on arrival in Riyadh, images from state television outlet Al-Ekhbariya showed.