The United Nations Security Council voted Thursday to approve a US-backed resolution lifting sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab, AFP reported.
The resolution, passed with 14 votes in favor and China abstaining, removes both officials from the Islamic State (ISIS) and Al-Qaeda Sanctions List.
While the move is largely symbolic - Sharaa’s travel sanctions were routinely waived- the resolution also lifts an assets freeze and arms embargo. Syria welcomed the decision, 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 is set to host Sharaa at the White House on November 10. Trump previously praised the Syrian leader, a former jihadist, for making “good progress” toward peace. Washington’s UN Ambassador Mike Waltz said Sharaa’s government is “working hard to fulfill its commitments on countering terrorism and narcotics, on eliminating any remnants of chemical weapons and promoting regional security and stability.”
Sharaa’s upcoming visit will be his first to Washington, following a landmark appearance at the UN General Assembly in September - making him the first Syrian president in decades to address the body. He previously met Trump in Riyadh in May, shortly after his rebel coalition ousted Bashar Al-Assad.
Sharaa’s group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was delisted as a terrorist organization by the US in July. Since taking power, Syria’s new leadership has sought to distance itself from its extremist past and present a more moderate image.
In May, the Trump administration began lifting longstanding economic sanctions on Syria following Sharaa’s pledges to cooperate in efforts against ISIS and reduce ties with Iran. In June, Trump signed an executive order formally revoking the sanctions program, opening the door for renewed trade and reconstruction.