Riyadh Welcomes Tom Barak and the Syrian File on the Table

In the pivotal role that Saudi Arabia plays in supporting the peaceful transition in Syria post the fall of the Assad regime, focusing on restoring stability, pushing forward reconstruction and the economy, away from the Iranian influence that has dominated the Syrian state's joints for a decade, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received on Thursday in Riyadh the US Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barak. They discussed ways to provide humanitarian and economic support to the Syrian people, in a joint effort to enhance stability in Syria after the major political transformations witnessed by the country.

The Saudi Press Agency "SPA" mentioned that the meeting addressed "steps to support the Syrian people on both humanitarian and economic levels, and to provide assistance and support to them in this important phase".

This meeting comes weeks after Barak's visit to Damascus, which represented the first direct American move of its kind in over a decade, and witnessed the reopening of the US embassy building there, symbolizing a new political phase.

The past weeks have seen remarkable coordination between Riyadh and Washington regarding the Syrian file, culminating in a phone call between the Saudi minister and the American envoy in mid-June, where they affirmed continuing cooperation to support the Syrian people and follow up on regional developments.