From Wanted Militant to UN Stage: Syrian President Sharaa Addresses World Amid Cheers and Protests.
Once one of the world’s most wanted men, Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, is now being celebrated in New York. The ex-head of Syria’s al-Nusra Front, who once had a $10 million bounty on his head for orchestrating multiple attacks in Syria, stood before cheering crowds outside the United Nations ahead of his first-ever address as Syria’s president.
In a surreal moment, Sharaa later took the stage for a rare interview with retired US General David Petraeus, the officer involved in his capture and imprisonment from 2006 to 2011. Both acknowledged the strangeness of the encounter, with Sharaa smiling: “Someone who went through war is one who knows best the importance of peace.”
After his release, Sharaa founded al-Nusra in 2012 to fight Bashar al-Assad. The group later severed ties with al-Qaeda and merged with other factions to form Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), still led by Sharaa. Though labeled a terrorist organization by the US in 2018, the designation was revoked in July 2025 as Washington adjusted its Syria policy.
Outside the UN and nearby hotels, videos showed Syrians waving flags as Americans cheered Sharaa. His “fireside chat” at a private Manhattan club drew businesspeople, diplomats, and journalists, who listened as he reflected on his journey from militant to statesman: “Anyone watching a child being killed in the streets will revolt. The pressure led people to seek solutions within the scope of the means available to them.”
A US official noted that Sharaa’s current trajectory is carefully monitored, with international actors viewing him as Syria’s best chance to avoid renewed civil war: “He is jumping through the hoops to show that he can be a world leader, not just a fighter … So far, he is pulling it off.”
However, protests also occurred. Reuters released photos of demonstrators linking him to ISIS and Osama bin Laden, signaling lingering skepticism.
In his UN address, Sharaa said:
“Syria has transformed from an exporter of crisis to an opportunity for peace. I guarantee to bring to justice and hold accountable everyone responsible for the bloodshed. Israeli strikes against my country continue, contradicting international support and threatening new crises.”
He reaffirmed Syria’s commitment to the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, despite Israeli actions, calling on the international community to support Syria in the face of these attacks.
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