Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was caught on camera scrolling through Instagram Reels on his smartphone as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.A video from inside the UNGA hall shows al-Sharaa looking down at his phone and appearing to scroll through Instagram’s short-video feed while Erdogan was speaking from the podium.The clip has since gone viral on social media. Some reports said al-Sharaa was also sharing Reels, but the footage itself does not establish what he was watching or whether he was messaging anyone.The moment came as nearly 130 heads of state and government gathered in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly’s high-level debate.Erdogan addressed the gathering on Tuesday, speaking about issues including Gaza, Palestinian statehood and reforms to the UN Security Council.
Al-Sharaa’s second UNGA appearance
The viral moment came ahead of al-Sharaa’s own appearance at the UN. His visit marks his second attendance at the General Assembly after he became the first Syrian representative in nearly six decades to address world leaders at the UNGA in 2025.Al-Sharaa became Syria’s interim president in January 2025 after leading the offensive that overthrew longtime president Bashar al-Assad. Since then, his administration has sought to rebuild Syria’s international ties and engage with Western and Arab governments.Al-Sharaa’s phone moment contrasted with the major diplomatic issues surrounding his appearance in New York.Syria’s new leadership has been seeking international engagement as the country attempts to recover from years of war and political upheaval. Al-Sharaa has also been involved in discussions concerning Syria’s relations with Israel and the status of the Golan Heights.The footage of the Syrian leader scrolling on his phone quickly became one of the lighter moments from the opening days of the UNGA.
