Ministers from Syria's transitional government held talks in Saudi Arabia on Thursday on their first foreign visit since they toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad last month.

"Through this first visit in the history of free Syria, we aspire to open a new, bright page in Syrian-Saudi relations that befits the long-shared history between the two countries," interim Foreign Minister Assaad al-Shibani posted on social media after arriving in Riyadh late on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia severed ties with Assad's government in 2012 and backed Syrian rebels seeking to overthrow him early in the country's civil war.

But last year, Riyadh restored ties with Assad's government and was instrumental in Syria's return to the Arab League, ending its regional isolation.

Now Syria's new leadership is eager for Saudi investment to help rebuild the country's infrastructure, which has been shattered by more than a decade of war.

Shibani was accompanied by Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and General Intelligence Service chief Anas Khattab, and the three men held talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi state television reported.

Last month, a Saudi delegation met Syria's new leader Ahmad al-Sharaa in Damascus, a source close to the Saudi government told AFP at the time.

Sharaa heads the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group that led the rebel offensive that ousted Assad on Dec. 8.

Last week, in an interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television, Sharaa said Saudi Arabia "will certainly have a large role in Syria's future," pointing to "a big investment opportunity for all neighboring countries."

Expected visits to Qatar, UAE and Jordan

Shibani announced on Friday that he would make official visits this week to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, following his first official trip to Saudi Arabia.

Since the fall of the Assad regime, Syria's new government has been seeking help from Gulf countries to rebuild the country devastated by more than 10 years of war. "This week, I will represent my country, Syria, on an official visit to our brothers in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan," Shibani said in a statement on X. "We look forward to these visits contributing to supporting stability, security, economic recovery and building good partnerships," he added.