Presidents Macron and al-Sharaa visit mosque in Damascus

(7 Jul 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS VIA AGENCY POOL (REUTERS) Damascus - 6 July 2026 ++NIGHT SHOTS++ 1. French President Emmanuel Macron's convoy arriving in al-Hamidiyah Souq in the Old part of the city 2. Macron getting out of car with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani 3. Various of Macron and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa talking in a traditional Damascene venue 4. Wide of venue 5. Pan of Damascus’ famed Umayyad Mosque 6. Various of al-Sharaa and Macron visiting Umayyad Mosque 7. Macron writing in what looks like a guest book 8. Close on al-Sharaa 9. Al-Sharaa writing in what looks like a guest book 10. Close on Macron 11. Macron and al-Sharaa shaking hands 12. Macron and al-Sharaa leaving Umayyad Mosque 13. Wide of Damascus at night STORYLINE: French President Emmanuel Macron arrived Monday in Syria, making him the first major Western leader to visit the war-torn country since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in 2024. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited in April but Macron is the first leader from western Europe or North America to do so. The French president’s visit comes during a period of relative calm in the Middle East after the monthlong war in Iran and Lebanon. He will travel next to Ankara, Turkey, for the NATO summit, where Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa is also expected to attend and meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. Syria’s state-run SANA news agency said Macron would visit with a business delegation to discuss regional security as well as business and investment opportunities. The French president was greeted at Damascus airport by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, and then met with al-Sharaa at the presidential palace and the Ummayed mosque. The French president's meetings are scheduled throughout Tuesday, beginning with members of Syrian civil society, his office said, though no details were disclosed. Macron will hold talks al-Sharaa, before signing memorandums of understanding. The two leaders will hold a joint news conference afterward. Macron hosted al-Sharaa in Paris in May 2025, where he urged European and U.S. leaders to lift longstanding sanctions on Damascus. Most of those sanctions had since been lifted. Paris supported Syria's new leadership even at a time where others were skeptical of al-Sharaa’s Islamist-led rule and former role as the head of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militant group, previously linked to al-Qaida. Western governments were especially concerned about the treatment and inclusion of women and minorities, and whether Syria's new government would transition into a more democratic rule. Syria has managed to sidestep the region's recent conflicts, but the country is still battered from 13 years of war that left much of it in ruins, drove millions into poverty, and will cost hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild. While Syria has signed memorandums of understanding with states and large companies for large investment projects, they have not yet come to fruition. =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected]. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...