UN, US, and UK Lift Sanctions on Syria\u2019s New President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Signaling Formal Recognition of Post-Assad Era
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The United Nations Security Council, the United States, and the United Kingdom have all lifted sanctions on Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab, in a coordinated move that marks a significant shift in international policy toward Damascus following the fall of Bashar al-Assad\u2019s regime in December 2024.<\/p>\n
The UN resolution, adopted Thursday with 14 votes in favor and one abstention (China), formally delists al-Sharaa and Khattab from the Daesh and al-Qaeda Sanctions List, ending more than a decade of travel bans and asset freezes. The move recognizes Syria\u2019s \u201cnew era\u201d and the leadership\u2019s commitments to counterterrorism, narcotics control, chemical disarmament, and inclusive political reform, according to U.S. envoy Mike Waltz.<\/p>\n
On Friday, both Washington and London followed suit. The U.S. Treasury and UK Foreign Office confirmed that all counterterrorism sanctions targeting al-Sharaa\u2014once a senior member of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and a former al-Qaeda affiliate\u2014had been lifted.<\/p>\n
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the decision recognizes \u201cthe progress demonstrated by Syria\u2019s new leadership after five decades of repression under Assad.\u201d<\/p>\n
The European Union announced that it would also align its sanctions policy with the UN\u2019s decision, though arms and security restrictions remain in place.<\/p>\n
The delisting comes ahead of President al-Sharaa\u2019s first official visit to the White House on Monday, where he is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump. The two leaders are expected to discuss counterterrorism cooperation, Syria\u2019s possible inclusion in the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition, and regional reconstruction efforts.<\/p>\n
Al-Sharaa\u2019s rise to power followed the December 2024 HTS-led offensive that toppled Assad\u2019s government, ending nearly 14 years of civil war. Once imprisoned at Abu Ghraib and wanted by the U.S. with a $10 million bounty, his political transformation\u2014from militant commander to head of state\u2014has drawn both caution and optimism from world powers.<\/p>\n
Diplomats described the UN resolution as a pragmatic acknowledgment of \u201cchanged realities on the ground,\u201d aiming to encourage stability, reconstruction, and humanitarian access.<\/p>\n
European Commission officials reiterated continued support for \u201ca peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led transition,\u201d while U.S. lawmakers hailed the move as \u201ca bold step toward Syria\u2019s reintegration into the international community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Analysts say the coordinated lifting of sanctions underscores a major geopolitical shift, as global powers cautiously re-engage with Syria\u2019s post-Assad leadership amid efforts to stabilize the war-torn region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UN, US, and UK Lift Sanctions on Syria\u2019s New President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Signaling Formal Recognition of Post-Assad Era ———————————————— The United Nations Security Council, the United States, and the United Kingdom have all lifted sanctions on Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab, in a coordinated move that marks a significant shift …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":136527,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-136528","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-syria"],"yoast_head":"\n