“Syria is reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world,” al-Sharaa told world leaders on Wednesday, saying his country’s story was “filled with emotions, and it mixes pain with hope”.

“The Syrian story is a story of struggle between good and evil,” he added.

“For long years, we’ve suffered injustice and deprivation and oppression. Then we rose in claiming our dignity.”

Syrians across the country came together to watch al-Sharaa’s speech.

Al-Sharaa took power in January after leading opposition fighters in toppling President Bashar al-Assad, ending his family’s five-decade rule. In his speech, al-Sharaa outlined steps taken in the months since: establishing new institutions, planning to hold elections and encouraging foreign investment.

“We call now for the complete lifting of sanctions, so that they no longer shackle the Syrian people,” he said.

The United States removed the Syrian armed group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which al-Sharaa headed, from its list of “foreign terrorist organisations” in July, reflecting a shift in policy towards post-Assad Syria.

Al-Sharaa has since embarked on what observers described as a diplomatic charm offensive.

He travelled to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in May and had an audience with President Donald Trump in Riyadh a week later. During his state visit to Saudi Arabia, Trump pledged to lift sanctions on Syria. Weeks later, Trump signed an executive order to lift the decades-old sanctions.

But the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, legislation that imposed US sanctions on Damascus, remains in effect, and members of Congress are now debating whether to repeal it.

While in New York, al-Sharaa met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials. He also addressed the Concordia Annual Summit, a global forum held alongside the annual UN assembly.

The Syrian leader condemned numerous Israeli raids on his country since he took over in January. In his address, al-Sharaa stated that despite the reforms his government has sought to oversee, “Israeli strikes and attacks against my country continue.”

“Israeli policies contradict the international supporting position for Syria,” he continued, adding it “threatens new crises and struggles in our region”.

But said his government remains committed to dialogue.

“In the face of this aggression, Syria is committed to dialogue, and we are committed to the Disengagement of Forces Agreement of 1974, and we call on the international community to stand beside us in the face of these attacks,” he added.

Syria and Israel have been adversaries for decades with tensions rooted in Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights since 1967. Israel has launched more than 1,000 strikes on Syrian territory since al-Assad’s fall.

US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said on Tuesday that Israel and Syria were close to agreeing on a “de-escalation” arrangement.

The deal would see Israel halt its cross-border attacks in exchange for Syria agreeing not to move heavy equipment near the Israeli frontier.

Israel’s war on Gaza has been at the top of the agenda during the General Assembly, and al-Sharaa voiced support for Palestinians, saying Syria stood “firmly with the people of Gaza, its children and women and all peoples facing violations and aggression”.

“We call for an immediate end to the war,” he told the assembly.

Al-Sharaa closed his address by reflecting on Syria’s own years of violence.

“Let me affirm: The suffering Syria endured we wish upon no one. We are among the people most deeply aware of the horrors of war and destruction.”

“In just nine months, one million Syrians have returned to their country following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government on 8 December 2024,” the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said in a statement.

The agency added that 1.8 million people displaced within Syria during its nearly 14 years of war had also returned to their areas of origin.

Nearly half of Syria’s pre-war population of 13 million was displaced by the conflict that began after the Assad government’s crackdown on peaceful antigovernment protests as part of the Arab Spring protests in 2011.

While describing the mass returns as “a sign of the great hope and high expectations Syrians have following the political transition in the country,” UNHCR said many of those heading back are struggling to rebuild their lives.

“Destroyed homes and infrastructure, weak and damaged basic services, a lack of job opportunities, and volatile security are challenging people’s determination to return and recover,” the agency added.

According to UNHCR, more than seven million Syrians remain displaced inside the country and more than 4.5 million are still abroad. It urged greater investment in stabilisation efforts and increased support for vulnerable families.

“The international community, private sector, and Syrians in the diaspora must come together and intensify their efforts to support recovery and ensure that the voluntary return of those displaced by conflict is sustainable and dignified and they are not forced to flee again,” stated Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

A recent UNHCR survey found that 80 percent of Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Iraq want to return home one day, with 18 percent saying they hope to do so within the next year.

“They have endured a lot of suffering in the past 14 years and the most vulnerable among them still need protection and assistance,” Grandi said, adding, “Sustained support to hosting countries like Jordan, Lebanon and Türkiye is equally critical to ensure returns are voluntary, safe and dignified.”

UNHCR warned that funds for humanitarian operations are dwindling. Inside Syria, only 24 percent of the required funding is available, while for the wider regional Syria response, just 30 percent of the requested funds have been provided.

“This is not the time to cut back support for the Syrian people and their push for a better Syria for them and the region,” the agency noted.