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FILE - President-elect Lt. Gen. Bashar al Assad, right, attends military training games with Ali Aslan, Chief of Staff of the Syrian army, July 12, 2000, in Syria. (SANA via AP, File)

FILE - President-elect Lt. Gen. Bashar al Assad, right, attends military training games with Ali Aslan, Chief of Staff of the Syrian army, July 12, 2000, in Syria. (SANA via AP, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 20, 2017, photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, embraces Syrian President Bashar Assad in the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 20, 2017, photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, embraces Syrian President Bashar Assad in the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, speaks with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, left, in Damascus, Syria, May 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, speaks with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, left, in Damascus, Syria, May 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, gestures while speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Damascus, Syria, Jan. 7, 2020. (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, gestures while speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Damascus, Syria, Jan. 7, 2020. (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, talks with former US presidential candidate Senator John Kerry in Damascus, Jan. 8, 2004. (SANA via AP, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, talks with former US presidential candidate Senator John Kerry in Damascus, Jan. 8, 2004. (SANA via AP, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, shakes hands with Pope John Paul II before the Pontiff boards a plane after a four-day visit to Syria in Damascus, May 8, 2001. (AP Photo/Enric Marti, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, shakes hands with Pope John Paul II before the Pontiff boards a plane after a four-day visit to Syria in Damascus, May 8, 2001. (AP Photo/Enric Marti, File)

FILE - In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right, speaks with Syrian President Bashar Assad in a meeting in Tehran, Iran, May 30, 2024. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP, File)

FILE - In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right, speaks with Syrian President Bashar Assad in a meeting in Tehran, Iran, May 30, 2024. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad reviews the presidential guard during the welcoming ceremony in Athens, Dec. 15, 2003. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad reviews the presidential guard during the welcoming ceremony in Athens, Dec. 15, 2003. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, File)

FILE - Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, left, and his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad sign documents during a meeting in Damascus, Syria, March 7, 2005. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, left, and his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad sign documents during a meeting in Damascus, Syria, March 7, 2005. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad speaks at a press conference in Cairo, Oct. 2, 2000. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad speaks at a press conference in Cairo, Oct. 2, 2000. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)

FILE - In this March 22, 2005 file photo, Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, talks to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi prior the 17th League of Arab States' summit in Algiers. (AP Photo/Nabil, File)

FILE - In this March 22, 2005 file photo, Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, talks to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi prior the 17th League of Arab States' summit in Algiers. (AP Photo/Nabil, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, and his wife Asma are greeted by Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair outside his 10 Downing Street, London residence, Dec.16, 2002, on the start of their official visit to Britain. (AP Photo/Max Nash, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, and his wife Asma are greeted by Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair outside his 10 Downing Street, London residence, Dec.16, 2002, on the start of their official visit to Britain. (AP Photo/Max Nash, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad looks on at his country's flag at the opening of the 16th ordinary session of Arab Summit in Tunis, May 22, 2004. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad looks on at his country's flag at the opening of the 16th ordinary session of Arab Summit in Tunis, May 22, 2004. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)

FILE - Bashar Assad, second right, is seen during the closing session of the ruling Baath party congress in Damascus, Syria, June 20, 2000. (SANA via AP, File)

FILE - Bashar Assad, second right, is seen during the closing session of the ruling Baath party congress in Damascus, Syria, June 20, 2000. (SANA via AP, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad and his wife Asma prepare to vote at a polling station during the presidential elections in the town of Douma, in the eastern Ghouta region, near the Syrian capital Damascus, Syria, May 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)

FILE - Syrian President Bashar Assad and his wife Asma prepare to vote at a polling station during the presidential elections in the town of Douma, in the eastern Ghouta region, near the Syrian capital Damascus, Syria, May 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)

FILE - Jordan's King Abdullah II, left, shakes hands with Syrian President Bashar Assad, as he sees him off at Marka military airport in Amman, Jordan, Feb. 2, 2005. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)

FILE - Jordan's King Abdullah II, left, shakes hands with Syrian President Bashar Assad, as he sees him off at Marka military airport in Amman, Jordan, Feb. 2, 2005. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)

FILE - In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during the Arab summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 19, 2023. (SANA via AP, File)

FILE - In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during the Arab summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 19, 2023. (SANA via AP, File)