Syria's interim president made his first trip abroad Sunday, traveling to Saudi Arabia in a move likely trying to signal Damascus' shift away from Iran as its main regional ally. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was once aligned with al-Qaida,

Saudi Arabia is pushing world governments to lift international sanctions on Damascus as it looks to shape the future of a country once firmly under Tehran’s influence.

In what is likely a signal to Iran, former rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa visits Riyadh in bid to rebuild ties with Gulf giant after years of Iranian dominance in Damascus