Antonio Guterres touched down in Damascus on Saturday, marking the first official trip to Syria by a serving UN secretary-general in 17 years. Foreign Minister Assaad al-Shaibani received Guterres on the tarmac at Damascus international airport.
The visit carries significant diplomatic weight: Guterres is scheduled to meet President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander who remained under UN Security Council sanctions until last year. He is also expected to address Syria's new parliament on July 27.
Beyond Damascus, Guterres will inspect the UN Disengagement Observer Force stationed in the occupied Golan Heights. The last such visit by a UN chief occurred in 2009, when Ban Ki-moon travelled to the country.