The United Nations Security Council has voted to lift sanctions against Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. This decision precedes his scheduled visit to the White House next week.
Mr. al-Sharaa assumed the transitional presidency in December 2024 following an offensive that resulted in the removal of Bashar al-Assad from power, marking the end of a 13-year civil war.
Mike Waltz, the United States ambassador to the UN, stated that the UN's action conveyed a "strong political signal" acknowledging Syria's entry into a "new era" since Mr. al-Assad's departure.
Previously, Mr. al-Sharaa was subject to UN sanctions as the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group with past links to al-Qaeda. In July, the United States removed HTS from its list of foreign terror organizations.
Additional Sanctions Removal
Sanctions were also lifted on Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab by the UN. Syria's foreign minister responded to the removal via social media, stating, "Syria expresses its appreciation to the United States and to friendly nations for their support of Syria and its people."
US-Syria Relations
President al-Sharaa's upcoming White House visit follows remarks by US President Donald Trump, who indicated that the Syrian leader had demonstrated "good progress" in efforts to establish peace within the country.
President Trump and Mr. al-Sharaa first met in May during President Trump's tour of the Middle East, which included a stop in Riyadh. Following that meeting, President Trump described Mr. al-Sharaa as a "tough guy" with a "very strong past."
HTS, the group led by Mr. al-Sharaa, was an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria until he severed ties in 2016. President Trump also stated after their meeting that Mr. al-Sharaa had "a real shot at pulling it together."