Damascus: One year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Syria is undergoing a sweeping diplomatic reset as the country's transitional leadership works to reestablish ties after years of isolation.

According to Anadolu Agency, backed by regional powers and increasingly welcomed by major global actors, President Ahmad al-Sharaa's government is seeking to reposition Syria on the international stage - a dramatic shift from the pariah status it held under the Assad regime.

Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December 2024 after rebel forces ended the Baath Party's six-decade rule. A transitional administration led by Sharaa was formed in January 2025. Since the Assad regime's brutal war on its population began in 2011, Syria had been politically sidelined and crippled by some of the world's toughest sanctions. The conflict left at least 580,000 people dead and 13 million displaced, with investigators documenting mass graves, enforced disappearances, torture, and widespread human rights violations.

Analysts say Syria's diplomatic re-entry underscores that Western and regional isolation targeted the Assad regime's conduct, not the Syrian people themselves. 'When Assad fell initially, everyone was hesitant,' said Omer Ozkizilcik, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council's Syria Project. 'Then the Turkish-Saudi understanding was reached to help Syria and support Syria.'

A major turning point came in May, when US President Donald Trump announced in Riyadh that Washington would lift key sanctions, a move experts say opened the door for broader engagement. Sharaa's debut address at the UN General Assembly - the first address from a Syrian leader in nearly 60 years - further signaled Damascus' return to multilateral diplomacy. 'All of these together show us that the international community is willing to embrace a new Syria and give it a chance to reconstruct, rebuild and recalibrate its position in the world,' Ozkizilcik added.

Heiko Wimmen, project director for Iraq, Syria and Lebanon at the International Crisis Group, said Syria's new leadership has shown 'impressive success in ending isolation,' overcoming deep international mistrust rooted in its past.

In his first year, Sharaa has visited at least 13 countries, including the US, Russia, France, Trkiye, and Brazil. Yet his visit to Washington, where he met Trump at the White House, was the most symbolic, analysts say. 'Him visiting the White House was a message from the Trump administration that the US is encouraging this new Syrian government and is normalizing relations with Syria,' said Ozkizilcik.

Syria has scored major wins in loosening international sanctions. The EU lifted all economic restrictions not tied to security concerns, and the World Bank restored Syria's eligibility for financing after decades. The European Commission also pledged 175 million pounds ($203 million) this year for recovery efforts. Several states have also announced large investments. According to President Sharaa, Syria attracted $28 billion in the first six months after amendments to investment laws.

However, analysts caution that unresolved US sanctions remain a major barrier. The Caesar Act, the most sweeping of these measures, can only be suspended for six months at a time at presidential discretion. So far, Trump has waived these twice. 'These sanctions need to be lifted altogether so that investors can feel safe,' Ozkizilcik said. 'Syria needs investments because 90% of the people there live under the poverty line and the country is destroyed.'

A World Bank report has estimated the cost of Syria's reconstruction at $216 billion - nearly 10 times Syria's 2024 gross domestic product (GDP).

Sharaa's participation in global forums, including his historic address at the UN, signals the new government's push to rejoin multilateral diplomacy. 'It was a first for the Syrian nation, and his message was basically that there is a new Syria . that this Syria wants not to be a source of threats and security risks, but a source of stability,' Ozkizilcik said. The Syrian president also participated in COP30 in Brazil this November, the first time a Syrian leader had attended the climate summit.

Analysts expect Sharaa's diplomacy to expand into Europe in 2026, with negotiations likely to focus on refugees, reconstruction, and institutional reform. But one central unresolved issue remains: Israel. Ozkizilcik said Damascus has been pushing for a new security mechanism to restore the 1974 disengagement line, but Israel has shown no willingness to engage. Despite the attacks, Damascus has refrained from retaliation to preserve diplomatic momentum, Ozkizilcik explained.