Syria's Sharaa to attend G7 summit in France, sources say

Shipping through the strait has been largely ​halted since the Iran war erupted at the end of February, ⁠rattling the global economy. Syria, emerging from its 14-year civil war as an ally of ⁠the West, ​is seeking to rebuild an economy shattered by years of conflict and sanctions.

Syria will attend ​the G7 summit in France ​next month as a ‌guest nation ​and be represented by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, three sources familiar with the matter said, marking ‌Syria's first participation in a summit of the group since the forum was founded in 1975. An invitation to Sharaa to attend the June ‌15-17 summit in Évian-les-Bains, southeastern France, was hand-delivered to Syrian Finance Minister ‌Yisr Barnieh, who attended the group's financial talks earlier this week in Paris, one of the sources said.

The source, a Syrian official, said Syria's participation in the ⁠talks would ​likely focus ⁠on the country's role as a “potential strategic hub for supply chains” following the closure ⁠of the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping through the strait has been largely ​halted since the Iran war erupted at the end of February, ⁠rattling the global economy.

Syria, emerging from its 14-year civil war as an ally of ⁠the West, ​is seeking to rebuild an economy shattered by years of conflict and sanctions. While most sanctions imposed during former Presidents Hafez and ⁠Bashar al-Assad's rule have since been eased, attracting foreign investment and restoring ⁠normal banking ⁠ties have proven slower and more difficult than many officials had hoped.