Relationship dossier
Saudi Arabia
Syria
Relationship assessment
Relations shifted from civil-war confrontation to diplomatic normalization, with the post-Assad relationship still taking shape.
Saudi Arabia toward Syria
+10Saudi Arabia supported Syrian opposition forces during the civil war and severed diplomatic relations with the Syrian government. In 2023, it backed Syria's return to the Arab League and restored diplomatic ties, marking a significant shift toward engagement.
Syria toward Saudi Arabia
+5During the civil war, the Syrian government aligned with Iran and opposed Saudi support for the Syrian opposition. Syria and Saudi Arabia restored diplomatic relations in 2023, but the extent of subsequent cooperation, particularly after the change in Syria's government, remains unclear.
Overall relationship
+10The relationship has been shaped by Saudi support for the Syrian opposition and the resulting rupture, followed by diplomatic normalization and Syria's return to the Arab League. The change in Syria's governing authority in 2024 altered the basis of the bilateral relationship, and its longer-term direction remains uncertain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Saudi-Syrian relations shifted from severe confrontation during the Syrian civil war to diplomatic normalization in 2023. Saudi Arabia supported Syrian opposition forces and cut diplomatic ties, while the Syrian government aligned with Iran and denounced Saudi policies. The two governments later restored diplomatic relations, and Syria returned to the Arab League with Saudi backing. The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in 2024 brought a major change in Syria’s governing authority, making the durability and practical scope of the newer relationship uncertain.
Areas of tension
- Saudi support for Syrian opposition forces during the civil war
- Syrian alignment with Iran and opposition to Saudi policy during the conflict
Key developments
Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with the Syrian government during the civil war.
Saudi Arabia supported Syria's return to the Arab League, which readmitted Syria.
Saudi Arabia and Syria agreed to restore diplomatic relations.
Bashar al-Assad's government fell, changing Syria's governing authority.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Syria's post-Assad authorities remain unclear.
- The durability of diplomatic normalization after the change in Syria's government is uncertain.