07.07.2026 02:00
Emmanuel Macron, the first French president to visit Syria after a 17-year hiatus, made headlines with his sunglasses during official engagements in Damascus. He refused to remove them even at the historic Umayyad Mosque and during the official dinner indoors, remaining completely unresponsive to Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara's heated remarks. It is being discussed that Macron's previous eye condition has flared up again.
French President Emmanuel Macron, the first European Union (EU) leader to visit Syria's capital Damascus in the post-Bashar al-Assad era, became one of the most talked-about topics in the world press and digital platforms due to his demeanor at the official dinner. Macron, who landed in the country wearing sunglasses, drew attention for not removing them even during the indoor meal.
Emmanuel Macron, the first French President to set foot in Damascus after 17 years to refresh diplomatic relations with Syria, made a historic visit. However, rather than the strategic importance of the visit, images from the dinner held in his honor by Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara became the number one trending topic on social media.
HE NEVER TOOK OFF HIS GLASSES, STARED IMPASSIVELY
At the dinner held indoors at a historic restaurant in Damascus, Macron drew attention for not removing his sunglasses even for a moment despite all pleas. The most surprising moments occurred while Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara was passionately explaining something to him with hand gestures.
Macron displayed no facial expressions, did not nod, and simply stared completely impassively in response to Shara's intense dialogue efforts. The French leader's 'frozen' and distant demeanor drew criticism for violating diplomatic etiquette norms while also sparking curiosity with its mysterious aura.
ALSO AT THE UMAYYAD MOSQUE
As part of his engagements in Damascus, Macron visited the historic Umayyad Mosque and did not remove his glasses even inside the mosque.
COULD BE A HEALTH PROTOCOL
Macron's unusual bespectacled image brought to mind similar scenes from the Davos Summit held months earlier.
Attending the World Economic Forum meetings with special blue-lensed glasses, Macron had not removed them during any official leader sessions or bilateral meetings.
During the Davos period, French media reported that Macron's choice was not a fashion trend or a diplomatic message, but entirely health-related. According to experts, Macron had a condition called 'subconjunctival hemorrhage' in his eye, caused by the rupture of a blood vessel in the eye's protective tissue, which appears extremely red and sometimes alarming from the outside.
It is estimated that a similar health protocol was applied during the official reception in Damascus.