🔗 Share this article

Security Council representatives gave the green light to a United States-backed measure to lift sanctions on President Ahmed al-Sharaa of Syria ahead of his White House visit next week.

He became transitional president subsequent to commanding an insurgent campaign that ousted the previous leader in the final month of 2024, bringing to a close 13 years of civil war.

Washington's ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz stated the United Nations delivered "an emphatic political statement" that acknowledged Syria entered "a fresh chapter" since Assad was deposed.

He had been subject to United Nations restrictions in his role as head of the Muslim faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), previously associated with al-Qaeda. Washington eliminated the organization from the catalog of foreign terror groups this past July.

Additional Sanctions Relief

The UN also removed sanctions on Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab.

Syria's foreign minister expressed satisfaction with the elimination of the sanctions, posting on social media: "Syrian officials convey thanks to the United States and allied countries for assisting the country and its population."

Forthcoming Presidential Visit

The Syrian leader's Washington trip on Monday occurs subsequent to US President Donald Trump stated the Middle Eastern president achieved "significant advancement" towards bringing peace to the conflict-ravaged nation.

Both presidents held discussions initially this past May, when Trump visited Riyadh while traveling through Arab nations.

Following that encounter, Trump portrayed Sharaa as a "tough guy" having a "formative history".

The HTS organization he led served as al-Qaeda's branch in Syria until he severed ties back in 2016.

Earlier American Trip

This week's diplomatic engagement does not represent Sharaa's first trip to the US in the current year. This past fall, he became the initial Syrian president to present to the United Nations gathering in Manhattan after approximately sixty years.

During his address, he stated the country had been "reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world" and expressed solidarity with Palestinian citizens in Gaza.

• The Middle Eastern president presents to international community for first time in almost 60 years
• Trump's meeting with Sharaa, previously unimaginable, enhances Syrian aspirations