The United Nations Security Council voted in favor of a US resolution on Thursday to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, ahead of his White House visit next week.
“(The Council) decides that Ahmed al-Sharaa…and (Interior Minister) Anas Hasan Khattab are delisted from the ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions List,” said the resolution, approved by 14 council members. China abstained.
The formal lifting of sanctions on Sharaa is largely symbolic as they were waived every time he needed to travel outside of Syria in his role as the country’s leader. An assets freeze and arms embargo will also be lifted.
Nevertheless, the move was lauded by Syria, with Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani writing on X: “Syria expresses its appreciation to the United States and to friendly nations for their support of Syria and its people.”
US President Donald Trump will host Sharaa for talks on November 10, having said the former jihadist had made “good progress” toward establishing peace in his war-torn country.
Washington’s ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said Sharaa’s government was “working hard to fulfill its commitments on countering terrorism and narcotics, on eliminating any remnants of chemical weapons and promoting regional security and stability.”
Though it will be Sharaa’s first visit to Washington, it will be his second to the United States after a landmark UN trip in September, where the ex-jihadist became the first Syrian president in decades to address the UN General Assembly in New York.
In May, the interim leader, whose rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, met Trump for the first time in Riyadh during the US president’s regional tour.
Formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda, Sharaa’s group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was delisted as a terrorist group by Washington as recently as July.
Syria’s New Image
Decisions to lift sanctions are usually made by the Council’s sanctions committee behind closed doors – but they require unanimity, while a full vote of the council does not.
China, which abstained, “expressed legitimate concerns about counterterrorism issues – in particular (foreign terrorist fighters) in Syria, and put forward many amendment proposals,” said China’s UN ambassador Fu Cong.
“However, (Washington) did not fully heed the views of all members,” he added.
Since taking power, Syria’s new leaders have sought to break from their own violent extremist past and present a moderate image more tolerable to ordinary Syrians and foreign powers.
Syria’s president will discuss issues including lifting remaining sanctions, reconstruction and counterterrorism when he visits Washington later this month, Damascus said Sunday.
Syria’s ambassador to the UN Ibrahim Olabi welcomed the vote.
“At its core, the resolution reflects the will of Syrian men and women. It reflects their will to return our country to its rightful place among nations. It reflects our will to move forward with confidence and hope towards building a new Syria,” he said.
“Today, for the very first time in so many years, the council has united.”
Syria and Israel remain technically at war, but they opened direct negotiations after Assad was toppled by an Islamist-led coalition last December.
Trump has expressed hope that Syria will join other Arab countries that have normalized ties with Israel under the so-called Abraham Accords.
A Syrian official had told AFP earlier this year that Syria expects to finalize security and military agreements with Israel in 2025, in what would be a breakthrough less than a year after Assad’s ouster.
