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,

Syria’s newly appointed interim president, Ahmed al-Shara, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday for his first foreign trip since his rebel coalition ousted longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Syria's transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa will visit Saudi Arabia on Sunday, the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV reported on Saturday, citing sources.

The visit by Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa to the Gulf Arab state could signal his government's strategy of moving away from Iranian influence. Ousted leader Bashar Assad was backed by Tehran.