The Latest Breaking News from Damascus

Having brought President Bashar al-Assad in from the cold, Arab states want him to rein in Syria's flourishing drugs trade in exchange for even closer ties. But as Damascus makes its own demands, the way ahead appears far from simple.

The drug, often smuggled to Gulf states, has been a key topic in discussions over Syria’s re-entry to the Arab League.

Just as the Arab League has reinstated Syria's membership after a 11-year suspension, a video has emerged showing President Bashar al-Assad wandering the streets of Damascus without security – which some Twitter users claim shows his "bravery" and "popularity" amongst his people, unlike other world leaders. But is this true…

The Arab League’s decision to re-admit Syria after 12 years of ostracization was a large symbolic victory for Damascus

Syria's membership was suspended 12 years ago early on in the uprising-turned-conflict, which has killed nearly a half million people and displaced half of the country's pre-war population.

Arab government representatives in Cairo have voted to return Syria to the Arab League after a 12-year suspension

Ties with Damascus are being normalised, as the bloc hopes for an ‘Arab-led political path’ to solve the Syrian crisis.

Washington ‘does not support’ push to normalise ties to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s gov’t, State Department says.

A Palestinian official says Iran’s president has met with senior Palestinian officials in Damascus and expressed his country’s support to them

The agreements were signed in Damascus to bolster economic ties between war-torn Syria and longtime ally Iran.

Tehran seeks to bolster influence over Damascus as Gulf states move to normalise relations with Assad