ANTALYA (The Thursday Times) — Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in Antalya on Wednesday for the COP31 leaders’ summit, joining regional leaders including Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, who said he would use the climate talks to raise the damage done to Iran’s environment by US and Israeli attacks.
Syria’s official news agency confirmed al-Sharaa’s arrival “to participate in the 31st UN Climate Change Conference”. The summit of heads of state and government runs on November 11 and 12, with national statements, roundtables and bilateral meetings.
Pezeshkian, who is due to address the summit, said: “The UN climate summit is a good opportunity to discuss the actions the US and Israel have taken to damage the environment in Iran and the region.” He added: “We will discuss the legitimate positions of the Islamic Republic and the crimes the US and Israel have committed in the region.” His visit comes in the ninth month of the war that began when the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
Meetings on the sidelines
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev also arrived in Türkiye for the summit, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held sideline meetings with Turkmenistan’s national leader and with Bangladesh’s prime minister.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was received by Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on arrival, and is due to deliver Pakistan’s national statement and meet several world leaders. Guterres opened the summit with a call for a “Climate Justice Compact”.
