CAIRO, December 22. /TASS/. The recent developments in Syria have prevented a regional, or even a world war as the country is no longer a hotbed of instability, Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, said.

"Our successful confrontations [with Bashar Assad] has saved the region from a large-scale conflict or, even from a new world war," the Al Watan newspaper quoted him as saying at a meeting with leader of the Lebanese Progressive Sociality Party Walid Jumblatt in Damascus.

"Former Syria was a hotspot of instability and its ruling regime along with pro-Iranian armed units sought to atomize Syrian society," he said and accused the "toppled regime" of organizing the murder of Jumblatt’s father, Kamal, in 1977, as well as Lebanese President Bashir Gemayel in 1982, and Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic al-Hairi in 2005.

Al-Sharaa expressed hope for building strategic relations with Lebanon and promised that from now on Syria "we be able to be a support for the Lebanese in building a new strong economy" and "will respect the sovereignty and security" of the neighboring country.

Armed opposition units in Syria launched a large-scale offensive on government troops in the Aleppo and Idlib governorates in late November. On December 8, they entered Damascus, while President Bashar Assad stepped down and fled the country. On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who had led the so-called Syrian Salvation Government in the Idlib governorate, announced his appointment as head of Syria’s interim government, saying that the transitional period will last until March 1, 2025.