Al-Shibani in Baghdad representing Syria’s Al-Sharaa

Shafaq News/ Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani arrived in Baghdad to take part in the 34th Arab Summit, set to begin on Saturday.

Al-Shibani is representing Syria’s transitional President, Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was officially invited by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. The invitation, however, triggered a fierce political uproar in Iraq, with multiple factions openly rejecting al-Sharaa’s involvement and several lawmakers launching legal action against him.

Earlier, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Baghdad to take part in summit, following the arrival of UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Their presence adds to the growing list of high-profile Arab and international figures attending the event.

Baghdad completed all preparations for hosting the summit on Saturday, underscoring Iraq’s efforts to solidify its regional diplomatic role amid ongoing political, security, and economic challenges in the region.

The Arab foreign ministers’ preparatory meeting, held earlier today in Baghdad, reviewed key issues set to be addressed during the summit.