Reported by Agence France-Presse

Syria’s leader Ahmed al-Sharaa told Al Arabiya on Sunday that elections could take four years, noting the importance of ties with Iran and Russia and calling for the United States to lift sanctions.

“The election process could take four years,” Sharaa told the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television, three weeks after his Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and allied rebels ousted long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad.

“We need to rewrite the constitution” which could take “two or three years”, he added.

In the wide-ranging interview, he expressed hope that the incoming administration of US president-elect Donald Trump would lift sanctions imposed on his now war-torn and impoverished country under Assad.

Read full report: https://amp.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3292695/syrias-new-leader-says-elections-could-take-4-years-hopes-trump-will-lift-sanctions