From Chevron to Saudi Arabia, Syria signs raft of new business deals

Syria's government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa has signed a series of economic deals with Gulf states and a US energy company to consolidate its position. US energy giant Chevron, along with a Qatari firm, agreed to explore for oil and gas off the Syrian coast, a deal attended by the US envoy to Syria. Concurrently, Saudi Arabia is launching a multi-billion-dollar investment package in Syria, including a new private airline, telecommunications, and desalination projects. These economic agreements signal growing support from Washington and regional powers for the new Syrian government following its recent military offensive against the Syrian Democratic Forces.