Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited the Gulf last week as part of his efforts to shore up support for Damascus amid regional tensions.Sharaa has sought to maintain close relations with Turkey and the Gulf states. This is important for Damascus because it wants to now serve as a regional hub linking the Gulf with the wider world.Due to the Iran crisis, there is increased interest in land connections between the Middle East and Europe, as well as the Gulf and Central Asia. As such, Syria's