Syria reopens London embassy amid global diplomatic push

The Syrian flag hangs from the Syrian Embassy in London. (EPA Images pic)

LONDON: Syria has reopened its London embassy, the Middle Eastern country said, its latest step in restoring diplomatic ties globally since ex-leader Bashar al-Assad was ousted last year.

Foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani presided over a ceremony at the central London embassy on Thursday, raising the national flag and “signalling the resumption of its activity after a 14-year closure”, a statement from the Syrian foreign ministry said.

A photo posted on Shaibani’s X account showed him on the embassy balcony, waving to a crowd of people below including some holding Syrian flags.

“After years of isolation imposed by the chemical Assad regime, we are today reopening the Syrian embassy in London. Syria returns to the world with its free identity,” al-Shaibani posted on X, referring to Assad’s alleged use of chemical weapons.

Ann Snow, the UK’s Special Representative for Syria, also posted her support on X.

“Today I was proud to witness Syrian Foreign Minister @AsaadHShaibani raise the flag over the Embassy in London — a historic moment,” she wrote.

During his visit to London, al-Shaibani met his British counterpart Yvette Cooper and discussed “prospects for developing Syrian-British relations, and ways of strengthening cooperation in various fields”, the Syrian foreign ministry said.

The reopening is the latest example of Damascus’s growing efforts to rebuild its diplomatic presence after years of international isolation under the Assad regime.

But since Assad’s overthrow in December 2024, Syria, led by interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, has moved quickly to restore diplomatic ties across the world.

Earlier this week, Sharaa met US President Donald Trump at the White House — marking a stunning turnaround for the man once on Washington’s terrorism list and with a bounty on his head.

The group Sharaa once led, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda.

But since taking power, he has pledged to dissolve all armed factions including HTS and to re-engage with Western governments.

The UK removed HTS from its list of banned terrorist organisations in October, paving the way for renewed relations.

Former UK foreign secretary David Lammy met Sharaa in Damascus in July, announcing the restoration of diplomatic ties more than a decade after they were severed.