Damascus Governance Distinct from Taliban, Syrian FM Tells CNN

DID Press: Syrian FM Asaad Hassan Shibani told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria that the governance model of Syria’s interim government bears no resemblance to the Taliban government in Afghanistan.

Speaking amid ongoing diplomatic efforts by Syria’s interim government to consolidate domestic and international legitimacy, Shibani emphasized that the country’s new political structure is “rooted in national culture and revolutionary values” and is fundamentally distinct from Afghanistan’s Taliban.

“Syria is not a machine or a robot; it is a free country that, after sixty years of repression, now represents itself without imported ideologies,” he said.

The remarks follow a similar statement last year from Syria’s Advisory Body for Sharia Affairs, which rejected comparisons between Syria’s legal framework and the Taliban’s religious governance.

Shibani noted that drawing inspiration from Sharia in certain legal provisions does not imply adopting the Taliban model but rather reflects local traditions and Syrian social realities.

Comparisons between Syria’s government and the Taliban have occasionally appeared in media and diplomatic circles, but Syrian officials stress fundamental differences in popular legitimacy, legal structure, and development-oriented vision.

Last year, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, head of the interim Syrian government, said Syria has no intention of becoming “another Afghanistan” and reiterated his opposition to imposing ideological laws similar to the Taliban, emphasizing his support for women’s education.

Responding to critics such as former Syrian rebel commander Joulani, who highlighted cultural differences between Syria and Afghanistan, Shibani asserted that Syria is building an independent model—one that distances itself from past authoritarianism and avoids externally imposed or sectarian systems.