UN Security Council removes sanctions from Syria’s president

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The U.S.-initiated measure similarly ended restrictions against Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab

In anticipation of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s upcoming visit to Washington next week, the United Nations Security Council has passed a U.S. resolution to remove sanctions imposed on him.

The resolution, sponsored by the U.S. and passed on Thursday, additionally lifted sanctions on Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab. A statement from the UN Security Council indicated that both individuals were to be “delisted from the ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions List.” The measure received approval from 14 council members, with China being the sole abstention.

Al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani while leading the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), assumed leadership after Bashar Assad’s removal.

For several months, the U.S. had been pressing the 15-member Security Council to relax sanctions against Syria, a move initiated after al-Sharaa’s meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia in May. This encounter marked the first time leaders from the two countries had met in a quarter-century.

Subsequent to that meeting, Trump declared a significant change in U.S. policy, stating his intention to remove sanctions on Syria.

Last week, Tom Barrack, the U.S. Special Envoy to Syria, confirmed Sharaa’s upcoming visit to Washington, D.C. He also stated that during this visit, Syria would “hopefully” become part of the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group. This will be the initial visit of a Syrian president to the White House.

Since assuming leadership last December, Sharaa has undertaken numerous international journeys aimed at restoring Syria’s relations with global powers. In October, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted his Syrian counterpart in Moscow, where he commended the profound historical connections and amicable relationship between their two nations.

Russia’s military footprint in Syria, encompassing the Khmeimim Airbase and the Tartus naval facility, was initially secured through a 49-year lease agreement signed with Assad in 2017. Moscow has sustained its engagement with Syria’s new leadership and upheld its presence at these bases following Assad’s removal.