At Damascus’s People’s Palace on Oct. 21, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa held talks with Tom Barrack, the U.S. special presidential envoy for Syria and Iraq. The presidency outlined broad themes but announced no specific outcome.
The meeting took place at the People’s Palace, with Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani present, according to a presidential readout carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). The statement referred to developments in Syria and the region, as well as coordination on matters of mutual interest. It described cooperation as serving both countries and supporting security and stability, but the readout listed broad themes and gave no specifics about the issues discussed or the outcome. Anadolu Agency also reported that the presidency had not identified the individual issues discussed.
SANA, citing a post on X that it attributed to Barrack, said he called the meeting “productive.” The agency reported that he linked cooperation between the sides to regional stability and President Donald Trump’s vision for the region.
Al-Sharaa and Barrack previously met in New York on Sept. 22 during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, according to a separate presidential readout carried by SANA. Al-Shaibani also attended that meeting.
