The announcements from Riyadh and Damascus came closely together on Tuesday evening and mean that Assad is now cementing his return to the political arena in the Arab world after the Arab League voted on Sunday to welcome Syria back after a nearly twelve-year exclusion.
Politically ostracized
The Syrian leader has long been politically isolated in the region due to Syria’s long civil war, which has claimed the lives of over half a million people and was preceded by the president’s brutal attempts to quell demonstrations in the country.
The thaw began in earnest a few weeks ago, when the Saudi regime and Iran, one of Damascus’ close allies, decided to resume relations.
Saudi Arabia broke in 2012
In April, Assad received Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan in the Syrian capital, the first meeting of its kind since the outbreak of war in 2011.
Saudi Arabia, a major player in the region, broke with Assad’s government in 2012 and has long been open about its support for regime change.
On Sunday, Syria will participate in the Arab League summit for the first time since 2010, a meeting held on Saudi soil.