Watch: Syrian President busy scrolling Instagram reels as leaders speak at UNGA
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was observed scrolling through Instagram Reels on his phone during a speech by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the UN General Assembly. This incident occurred during the high-level general debate in New York.
Why it matters
The behavior of a head of state at a major international diplomatic forum highlights the evolving nature of political decorum and global attention spans.
As world leaders gathered at the UN General Assembly (UNGA), Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa appeared to have his attention elsewhere — scrolling through Instagram Reels on his smartphone.Candid footage from the UNGA showed al-Sharaa casually using his phone, scrolling through Instagram and sending Reels, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was speaking from the podium, reports Kurdistan 24.This is the second time al-Sharaa has attended the UN General Assembly after becoming the first representative of Syria to address world leaders at the UNGA in almost 60 years in 2025.Al-Sharaa became Syria's interim president in January 2025 after leading the rebel…
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