For the first time in nearly 6 decades, a Syrian president steps up to speak at the U.N.

"Turning the page on decades of distance, Syria's president addressed the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, marking the first time any president from his country has done so in almost 60 years. As he spoke, hundreds of people gathered in front of giant screens in Syrian cities and towns to witness the speech while waving the country's flags. Ahmad al-Sharaa said Syria is returning to the international community after six decades of dictatorship that killed 1 million people and tortured hundreds of thousands."

"Al-Sharaa became the first Syrian head of state to speak at the United Nations since Noureddine Attasi gave a speech in 1967 shortly after the Arab-Israeli war, during which Damascus lost control of the Golan Heights that Israel later annexed in 1981. Since the Assad family came to power in Syria in 1970 in a bloodless coup that overthrew Attasi, relations with the United States have been mostly cold as Damascus was an ally of the former Soviet Union. Over the past decades, it was foreign ministers of Syria who represented the country at the U.N. General Assembly."

"The Assad family dynasty's autocratic, repressive 54-year rule in Syria abruptly collapsed in December, when then-President Bashar Assad was ousted in a lightning insurgent offensive led by al-Sharaa. Assad's fall marked a major shift in the 14-year civil war. Al-Sharaa blasted Israel in his speech saying that it did not stop its threats to his country since the fall of Assad adding that its policies "contradict with the international community's support to Syria and its people" in what endangers the region and could make enter conflicts that no one know how they could end."

Ahmad al-Sharaa spoke at the U.N. General Assembly, the first Syrian president to do so in almost 60 years. Hundreds watched on giant screens across Syrian cities while waving national flags. Al-Sharaa said Syria is returning to the international community after six decades of dictatorship that caused about 1 million deaths and widespread torture. He declared Syria reclaiming its rightful place among nations. He is the first head of state at the U.N. since Noureddine Attasi in 1967. The Assad family's long rule began in 1970 and maintained cold ties with the United States. The Assad regime collapsed in December when Bashar Assad was ousted by an insurgent offensive led by al-Sharaa. Al-Sharaa strongly criticized Israel and noted negotiations are underway for a security deal.

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