Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani gave an interview to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, filmed Thursday and aired Sunday from the Council on Foreign Relations. Al-Shaibani described Syria’s post-liberation period as a time of rebuilding, reconciliation, and renewed efforts to achieve peace both at home and across the region.
Minister al-Shaibani stressed that Syria is not “a machine or a robot” but a free nation that endured 60 years of oppression under the previous regime. “When the Syrian people chose to claim their freedom and dignity through peaceful demonstrations, we stood by their side. We were among the soldiers of the peaceful revolution,” he said, noting that Syrians had persevered through every challenge from 2011 until liberation in December 2024.
Al-Shaibani emphasized that Syria’s current political trajectory confirms that it is a popular movement rooted in Syrian culture and the values of the revolution. He dismissed comparisons to Taliban-style governance, insisting that Syria’s model “is consistent with its civilizational history” and that Syrians are capable of representing themselves without imported ideologies.
On governance, he pointed out that Syria has already announced a widely supported constitutional declaration and is preparing for parliamentary elections that will lead to a permanent constitution. “The law approved by the Syrian people is what will govern Syria,” he said, adding that some articles may draw from Sharia, customs, and the realities of 2025, but the goal is a system that “truly represents the Syrian people.”
Addressing sectarianism, al-Shaibani said Syria is working to heal a fractured society and rebuild trust. “We are not like the previous regime. We want Syria to be one united state that represents all Syrians,” he said, rejecting the idea of sectarian enclaves or federal divisions.
On security, he asserted that weapons must be under state control to prevent chaos and partition. “We must now form a national army that represents the Syrian people, defends its borders, and protects its interests,” he said, noting that a March agreement in northeast Syria achieved full integration of armed groups into the Syrian army.
Turning to recent violence, al-Shaibani said the government quickly contained clashes in the coastal region within 48 hours, formed a fact-finding committee with UN participation, and received domestic and international backing, proof of Syria’s commitment to civil peace and accountability. In Sweida, he said unrest was worsened by Israeli interference and armed groups refusing integration, but emphasized that a new U.S.-Jordan-backed roadmap has gained strong support and aims to restore stability, guarantee humanitarian aid, and ensure accountability.
Al-Shaibani accused Israel of escalating tensions since December 8, 2024, citing more than 1,000 airstrikes, 400 ground raids, and occupation of buffer-zone territory under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. He urged Israel to withdraw and send positive signals to Syrians before any discussion of normalization or future agreements.
On foreign relations, al-Shaibani praised Washington’s lifting of sanctions as a “rational and natural decision” and called for a full repeal of remaining sanctions, including the Caesar Act. “Sanctions relief means stability, stability means development, and development means Syrians can stay, refugees can return, and Syria can move from being seen as a threat to being seen as a stable, safe country,” he said.
He expressed optimism about Syria’s future, predicting that within five years it will be “safe, stable, and focused on economic development, with Syrians returning from around the world” and enjoying strong relations with neighbors, Europe, and the United States.
“Before liberation, Syrians could not even speak to each other about politics,” al-Shaibani said. “Now we must give them the space and the chance to engage in dialogue and solve their problems themselves,” al-Shaibani concluded.
Amer Dhawa
