Celebratory gunfire provided the soundtrack. It was reminiscent of the scenes five months ago, when rebels swept into the capital and toppled Bashar al-Assad.

Peruvian President Dina Boluarte on Wednesday named Eduardo Arana, the Andean nation's latest justice minister, to become prime minister.

The Syrian government lauded the meeting in a statement as “historic,” and said it had addressed “avenues for Syrian-American partnership,” including in counterterrorism.