Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met for the first time with Syria’s transitional President Ahmed al-Sara on March 4, 2025, during the Arab summit in Cairo. Ahmed al-Sara, who led a rebel alliance that ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, is seeking support from Arab leaders and the West. In contrast to Gulf countries, Egypt has been more cautious toward Syria’s new leadership. Sisi, known for his tough stance against Islamists in the most populous Arab nation, which holds influence in the Middle East and is allied with the U.S., called for an inclusive political process in Syria without exclusions and condemned any ‘attack’ on Syrian territory. Earlier, the Syrian news agency (SANA) reported that Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Simpany also attended the meeting, though it did not disclose the agenda.