Riyadh:

Donald Trump, who is on a whirlwind visit to the Middle East, has scripted history when he met Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia today. Of all his meetings and interactions, this meeting by President Trump was arguably the most significant and has reshaped the geopolitical landscape in central and west Asia.

WHY HEADS TURNED GLOBALLY

The first reason why heads turned when President Trump met President al-Sharaa is because of the latter’s questionable background. Till very recently Ahmad al-Sharaa was known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jawlani (also spelt al-Golani or al-Joulani) – a UN-proscribed and US-designated terrorist.

Over the last two decades Al-Jawlani held key positions in global terror organisations like Al Qaeda and ISIS. According to the United Nations Security Council’s ‘ISIS and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee’, in July 2013, Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani was declared a global terrorist for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating acts of terror”.

FROM GLOBAL TERRORIST TO SYRIA’S PRESIDENT

According to the UN Security Council sanctions committee, he was also held guilty for “supplying, selling or transferring arms” as well as “recruiting for” Al Qaeda and ISIS. He coordinated directly with then Al Qaeda chief Aiman al-Zawahiri and later with then ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (who also went by the name Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim Ali Al-Badri Al-Samarrai).

In 2011, the year of the uprising in Syria against the Russia and Iran-backed Assad regime, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi instructed Al-Jawlani to establish a front for the Al Qaeda in Iraq and Syria by developing a local presence.

In 2012, Al-Jawlani founded the Al-Nusrah Front (also known as Jabhat al-Nusrah), officially known as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham – a UN-designated terrorist group which officially became Al Qaeda’s offshoot in Syria. By now, the uprising in Syria, which began in 2011 with peaceful protests, had turned into a revolution, with mass protests against the Ba’athist dictatorship of then President Bashar al-Assad.

TARGETING RUSSIA AND IRAN-BACKED ASSAD REGIME

In 2017, the Jabhat Fatah al-Sham rebranded itself as the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham or HTS. Its principal objective was to overthrow the Assad regime led by Bashar al-Assad and establish an Islamic Caliphate.

Over the years, the revolution in Syria turned into an armed conflict, before escalating into a full-blown civil war, slowly gaining ground across the country. In November 2024, in a sudden and massive offensive, spearheaded by Al-Jawlani’s HTS, the Assad regime rapidly lost major ground, including its stronghold cities.

On December 8, 2024, Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia and the Assad regime collapsed after 53 years of ruling the country with an iron fist. Moscow could not come to Bashar Assad’s rescue in Syria because most of Russia’s military was committed on the Ukrainian front. HTS chief Al-Jawlani declared victory, and was appointed interim President of Syria in January. He then officially assumed his current name Ahmad al-Sharaa.

US MAKES INROADS IN SYRIA

The second reason why Donald Trump’s meeting with Ahmad al-Sharaa raised eyebrows was because the US President announced that he is lifting all sanctions imposed on Syria, which have been in place since 1979.

According to the US Department of State, sanctions were imposed on Syria and the Assad regime in 1979 after the country was designated “a State Sponsor of Terrorism” for providing “political and military support to various terrorist groups”. “The regime continued to provide weapons and political support to Hezbollah (Hizballah) and continued to allow Iran to rearm and finance the terrorist organisation,” it said in a 2019 update.

THE ROLE OF SAUDI ARABIA AND CROWN PRINCE MBS

The third reason that gained global attention was that it was Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who suggested and arranged the meeting between President Trump and President al-Sharaa. After the meeting, Donald Trump acknowledged that the Saudi royal played a crucial role in the decisions made today.

Besides all sanctions being lifted, Donald Trump’s meeting, followed by a statement by the White House makes it clear that the United States has recognised and legitamised the new regime in Syria. President Trump said, “Syria deserves a chance at peace under al-Sharaa” as the two heads of states met.

A closed-door meeting then commenced, during which, President Trump encouraged President Al-Sharaa to do a great job for the Syrian people. The US President also urged his Syrian counterpart to sign onto the Abraham Accords with Israel, and expel all foreign terrorists from Syria.

Today, President Trump, at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. President Erdogan of Turkey joined by phone. President Erdogan praised President Trump for lifting sanctions on Syria and committed to working alongside Saudi… pic.twitter.com/0yhyZbQ1o0

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) May 14, 2025

THE TURKEY EQUATION AND BACKING FROM THE GULF

The fourth reason why the meeting assumed significance for Asia, was because Turkey’s President Erdogan joined Donald Trump and Syria’s al-Sharaa over a phone call during their meeting.

Several Gulf nations have also put their weight behind Syria’s new regime, viewing it as a possible counterweight to Iran, with Tehran-backed Assad now confined to the history books.

ISRAEL’S CAUTION TO THE US

Israel isn’t pleased with US’ recognition of Ahmad al-Sharaa as Syrian President. Tel Aviv has cautioned Washington against giving legitimacy to the new government due to its terror background.

But with sanctions being lifted and today’s historic meeting, a new era has begun in the Middle East (Gulf) and West Asia. Ahmad al-Sharaa’s meteoric rise from a UN-designated global terrorist to Syria’s new President – now with formal ties with America – is perhaps the most astonishing turnarounds in geopolitical history.

Syria’s Foreign Ministry has hailed Donald Trump’s announcement today as a “pivotal turning point” in the country’s journey. A statement released by their foreign office said, “The removal of these sanctions offers a vital opportunity for Syria to pursue stability, self-sufficiency and meaningful national reconstruction, led by and for the Syrian people.”
 

New Delhi:

As the dust settles after a series of Pakistani escalations and Indian military responses during Operation Sindoor – the mission aimed at targeting terrorists and their backers in the wake of the Pakistan-linked Pahalgam terror attack, the focus now shifts to what really went down on the day the dramatic ceasefire was announced.

Four nations released statements that day – United States, Pakistan, India, and a late entry by China. What has raised eyebrows however, is that each has their own version. While the undeniable fact lies in India’s statement that a phone call was indeed made by the Pakistani Director General of Military Operations or DGMO to his Indian counterpart requesting an immediate ceasefire, the US and China have their own motives – with Pakistan ever-ready to project a narrative that comes as a face-saver for Islamabad (government) and Rawalpindi (Army).

‘TRUMP JUMPS THE GUN’

Donald Trump, who has been projecting himself as a global peace messiah, by getting involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict as well as the Israel-Iran war over Hamas in Gaza, was the first to jump at making the dramatic announcement that it was his administration that “brokered” the ceasefire – a claim that New Delhi has distanced itself from. President Trump’s eagerness to make the announcement came as a bolt from the blue.

Rushing to his social media platform Truth Social, President Trump wrote, “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both countries.” He added that by doing so, both countries have shown “common sense and great intelligence”.

‘BEIJING DISPLEASED WITH ISLAMABAD?’

As the hotlines in Washington, Islamabad, and New Delhi were busy on May 9, the one in Beijing remained on the hook – and this allegedly did not go down well with China, which Pakistan calls its “all-weather ally”. Donald Trump’s announcement and Washington’s credit-taking allegedly left Beijing, which also desires to be seen as a global peace broker, furious. 

According to claims made in defence circles, China was allegedly upset with Islamabad for reaching out to Washington at a time of crisis and distress, instead of calling Beijing, which likes to consider south Asia as being in its sphere of influence. NDTV cannot verify the authenticity of this claim, however, a timeline of factual events are presented below.

Beijing then called Islamabad, following which, as per the chronology of events, Pakistan disregarded the Trump announced-ceasefire hours after agreeing to it, though only briefly. While Pakistani drones violated Indian airspace over Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Gujarat, a statement about Islamabad’s talks with China was released by Pakistan’s foreign office. The timing of the statement, in which Beijing’s overt support to Islamabad was underscored, raised eyebrows in diplomatic circles.

‘CHINA FINDS RELEVANCE’

Just a short while later, while the drones from Pakistan and PoK continued to pour in, China’s foreign ministry released another statement saying its foreign minister Wang Yi spoke with India’s national security adviser Ajit Doval. The statement focused more of what the Chinese foreign minister said, with a fleeting mention of what Mr Doval reportedly said. New Delhi has not responded to this statement released by Beijing.

It was only after the release of these statements, showcasing China’s involvement, did the drones from Pakistan stop incursions over the Line of Control and the International Border. This was seen by some defence analysts as a symbolic gesture to satisfy Beijing.

China’s foreign ministry released another statement two days later, in which it said, “We hope India and Pakistan will cement and continue the ceasefire momentum, avoid further conflict, properly handle differences through dialogue and negotiation, and return to the track of political settlement.” It added that China will remain in contact with both Islamabad and New Delhi, and continue efforts to “keep the region peaceful and stable.”

Beijing credited itself for the ceasefire, claiming that it was Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s talks with Ishaq Dar and Ajit Doval that ultimately helped “bring about deescalation and a full, lasting ceasefire.”

China supports and welcomes the #IndiaPakistanCeasefire.

On the night of May 10, Director and FM Wang Yi spoke with Pakistan’s Deputy PM & FM Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 and India’s NSA Shri Ajit Doval respectively to help bring about deescalation and a full, lasting ceasefire.

We… pic.twitter.com/fE1NIbonru

— CHINA MFA Spokesperson 中国外交部发言人 (@MFA_China) May 12, 2025

‘ISLAMABAD PANDERS TO BEIJING’

Pakistan, which was left in shock and disbelief over the intensity, scale, accuracy, and capability of India’s precision and calibrated strikes on Pakistani airbases, released two sets of statements on the evening of the ceasefire – one after Trump’s social media post, and the other allegedly at Beijing’s behest.

Minutes after President Trump’s post on Truth Social, Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar wrote on X that “Pakistan and India  have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!”

Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!

— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) May 10, 2025

Then it broke the ceasefire for several hours, disregarding its own commitment, while simultaneously releasing a statement about a phone call from Beijing. According to the statement, Mr Dar briefed the Chinese foreign minister about the regional situation and the recent military exchange between India and Pakistan in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

‘CHINA-BACKED STATEMENTS’

As per the statement, the Chinese foreign minister “acknowledged Pakistan’s restraint and appreciated its responsible approach under challenging circumstances,” adding that Wang Yi “reaffirmed that China, as Pakistan’s All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partner and iron-clad friend, will continue to stand firmly by Pakistan in upholding its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national independence.”

Less than an hour after this, the Pakistani drone incursions stopped, leading to the ceasefire. While all this was happening, India’s foreign secretary, noting the fresh airspace violation, addressed a press briefing in which a stern warning was given to Islamabad, that Pakistan’s actions will be responded to by India “resolutely” and “effectively”.

India has kept all the facts on the table. It has acknowledged that multiple phone calls did indeed take place between top leaders of India and the US. New Delhi asserted that Washington was told clearly that India has only been responding to Pakistan’s military escalations, with Pahalgam being the first escalation leading to Operation Sindoor. Washington was told that if Islamabad stops, so will New Delhi. Leaders in the Trump administration were also told that any request for a ceasefire is strictly a bilateral issue, and that Islamabad must reach out to New Delhi directly.

‘PAKISTAN REQUESTS INDIA’

Adhering to the bilateral setup, Pakistan’s DGMO then reached out to his Indian counterpart with a request for ceasefire, India’s DGMO cautioned Pakistan against any further misadventure, while also laying down the conditions for the ceasefire, which included zero-tolerance for terror. Islamabad was informed that all other punishing diplomatic actions taken against Pakistan would remain.

Foreign Secretary Vikaram Misri then made a short and to-the-point announcement on India agreeing to Pakistan’s bilateral request for a ceasefire. He said, “The Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan called the DGMO of India at 3:35 pm IST today. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, in the air, and at sea starting 5 pm IST today. Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The DGMOs will speak again on May 12 at noon (1200 hrs).”

‘TRUMP’S CLAIM REJECTED’

Two days later President Trump made another big claim about how he used trade as a tool to convince Pakistan and India to agree to a ceasefire. He said, “I said, come on, we’re going to do a lot of trade with you guys, both countries, so let’s stop it. Stop it if you want trade. If you don’t stop, we’re not going to do any trade.” He went on to claim that “People have never used trade the way I have used it – and then all of a sudden they said ‘we’re going to stop’. They might have done it for a lot of reasons, but trade was a big one.”

Rejecting this claim, India’s foreign ministry said, “After Operation Sindoor commenced, US Vice President JD Vance spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 9. Secretary Rubio spoke to the foreign minister S Jaishankar on May 8 and May 10 and to National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on May 10. There was no reference to trade in any of these discussions.”
 

Underlining that India will not tolerate any “nuclear blackmail”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, in his first address to the nation after India-Pak ceasefire, said that Operation Sindoor against Pakistan has only been kept in abeyance and the future will depend on their behaviour.

The Prime Minister said India is keeping a close watch on Pakistan and its actions. 

He further said that terror and talk cannot take place together; terror and trade cannot go together; and water and blood also cannot flow together. Click here for India Pakistan ceasefire Live Updates

PM Modi further stressed that this is not an ear of war, but it is also not an era of terrorism. 

Here are the top quotes from the Prime Minister’s address: 

* The Country’s potential and resilience were seen. First, I want to salute the forces, paramilitary, and intelligence agencies. I salute the soldiers on behalf of every Indian

* We gave a free hand to our forces 

* Operation Sindoor is not just a name, it is a reflection of the sentiments of our people. Ye nyay ki akhand pratigya hai (It is an unbroken promise of justice)

* On April 22, civilians were brutally killed. They asked them about their religion and killed them in front of children. Personally, it affected me a lot. After this attack, the entire nation wanted strong action against terrorism

* Forces launched precision strikes on terrorists inside Pak

* We have inflicted unimaginable damage on Pakistan in 3 days 

* No one imagined the scale of our action

* Our missiles and drones have shaken terrorists 

* Bahawalpur and Muridke have been terror universities

* We have destroyed the terror universities

* Over 100 terrorists killed in attacks

* Pakistan ki tyaari seema par war ki thi, Bharat ne Pak ke seene pe var kar diya ( Pakistan had prepared for war on the border, India attacked Pakistan on its chest)

* Indian missiles struck with precision, destroyed Pak’s airbase

* Pakistan started looking for a way out. It begged the world to find ways to peace

* We have only postponed our military action, our action will depend on Pakistan’s next step

* World has seen the ugly face of Pakistan 

* Pakistan army officers attended terrorists’ funeral 

* In the 21st century warfare, the world is watching how Made-In-India weapons performed. It’s important for us to unite against terrorism

* Terror and talk cannot take place together. Terror and trade cannot go together. And Water and blood also cannot flow together

* Terror will one day engulf Pakistan 

* Pakistan will have to root out terror for its own sake 

* If we ever talk to Pak, it will be on terror and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir only

* Road to peace also goes through power 

* Use of power important when needed