The United Nations Security Council has approved a U.S.-drafted resolution to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab, removing them from the ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions List. The decision, supported by 14 council members, followed months of U.S. pressure to ease Syria sanctions, especially after al-Sharaa, who once led the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), met U.S. President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia in May.
Following a historic meeting between al-Sharaa and Trump in Saudi Arabia in May, the U.S. has been urging the 15-member Security Council to ease Syria sanctions for months. Trump reportedly announced a significant policy shift, indicating the potential lifting of sanctions on Syria. The resolution was approved by 14 council members, with only China abstaining from the vote, as the U.S. sought to align with global interests in Syria’s political stabilization.
With the sanctions lifted, al-Sharaa is set to visit Washington, D.C., next week, marking the first visit by a Syrian president to the U.S. capital. During this visit, Syria is expected to join the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group, according to U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack. This move comes amid ongoing efforts by the new Syrian leadership to reestablish international relations, following Russia’s continued military presence in Syria, including at the Khmeimim Airbase and Tartus naval facility.