The United Kingdom has lifted sanctions on Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, following a decision by the United Nations Security Council. This move aligns with a similar UN resolution to delist al-Sharaa from the ISIL and Al-Qaeda Sanctions List, as the leader prepares for his planned visit to the United States.
Earlier, the UN Security Council approved a resolution to delist al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab from the sanctions list, following a United States-drafted proposal that gained majority support. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) announced the delisting, confirming that al-Sharaa and Khattab are no longer subject to asset freezes. This action is a significant development, especially as al-Sharaa once led the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under the moniker Abu Mohammad al-Julani, and recently assumed power after ousting former President Bashar Assad.
The United States has been pushing for the easing of sanctions on Syria since al-Sharaa’s meeting with President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia in May, which marked the first direct contact between the two leaders in over two decades. This meeting resulted in a major shift in US policy towards Syria, with Trump declaring an intention to lift sanctions on the country.
Last week, US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack confirmed that al-Sharaa will visit Washington, DC, next week. During this visit, Damascus is expected to potentially join the US-led coalition to combat the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS). This would represent the first-ever visit by a Syrian president to the White House.
Reuters reports that Washington seeks to expand its military presence in Syria and is in discussions with Damascus regarding the use of an airbase by American troops. The agreement, reportedly linked to an upcoming non-aggression pact between Syria’s new authorities and Israel, is expected to establish a demilitarized zone in the south of the country.
The United States maintains a controversial presence in Syria through a base in its southeast, surrounded by an exclusion zone that Moscow has called a safe haven for terrorists. Neither Assad nor the new government led by al-Sharaa has authorized an American military presence in the country.