Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Friday met with Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al Jolani, in a visit to Damascus, his first since the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Al-Jolani took office as the head of the new Syrian administration after the rapid collapse of al-Assad's regime last year.

Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati will meet Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on Saturday, two Lebanese sources said, becoming the first head of government to visit Syria's capital since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani met Syria's new ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus Friday, state media said, in the latest such visit from a European diplomat since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa told visiting Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Friday that he was ready to stem "illegal immigration" to Europe, the European diplomat said."Sharaa says he is ready to block illegal immigration,

"Our problem is not with Israel. We don't want to meddle in anything that will threaten Israel's security," Damascus Governor Maher Marwan tells NPR. Syria and Israel have never had diplomatic ties.

By bnm Gulf bureau Syria's new administration head Ahmad al-Sharaa met Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on January 10, as the country seeks to rebuild international ties, local Al Watan reported.