Al-Shaybani: Syria Studies Joining the 'Mecca Alliance'
Press coverage 1 newspapers covered this event: Al-Jarida →Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaybani revealed plans to join the Mecca Alliance, calling for an end to the tragedy in Gaza and the restoration of the Golan.
Translated by Qiyas from النهار — Original source
Manama (Agencies): Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani revealed yesterday that his country is considering the possibility of joining the Mecca Defense Agreement, formed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey. Speaking at the “Manama Dialogue” forum in the Bahraini capital, al-Shaybani stated that “discussions are currently underway to evaluate Syria’s entry into the Mecca Alliance.”
Addressing the pillars of regional security, al-Shaybani emphasized that the stability of the region hinges on ending the tragedy in Gaza and establishing a path leading to the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
The Syrian News Agency (SANA) quoted al-Shaybani as saying during a session on regional security pillars at the 22nd edition of the Manama Dialogue Forum 2026: “Our lands have been subjected to more than a thousand Israeli attacks in less than two years, claiming dozens of lives. How can the demand for border control and arms restriction be reconciled while Syrian sovereignty is violated and targeted on a daily basis?”
Al-Shaybani condemned the repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, calling for a “return to the lines prior to December 8, 2024, and the activation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.” He affirmed that “the Golan is Syrian land, and UN Security Council Resolution 497 is the reference point,” adding that “the scale of suffering endured by Syrians places the international community under a shared moral and historical responsibility to ensure the success of Syria’s recovery path. We look to our partners to support us in this endeavor.”
Al-Shaybani welcomed the lifting of broad sanctions and the removal of Syria from terrorism lists, stating: “Our hope remains pinned on transforming this positive political climate into an economic reality and partnership that yields tangible results on the ground.” He noted that “Syria has exited the trench of conflicts to take its place at the table of security-making. When Damascus rises and regains its health, the region will regain its balance, and regional security will regain its true meaning.”
