CaliToday (08/11/2025): In a landmark diplomatic move just days before a historic White House summit, the United States has formally removed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa from its "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" (SDGT) sanctions list.
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| US President Donald Trump meets Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in this handout released on May 14, 2025 [Saudi Press Agency/Handout via Reuters] |
The U.S. Department of the Treasury confirmed the delisting on Friday, a decision that signals a dramatic shift in U.S. policy toward the post-Assad government in Damascus. The move is seen as essential for removing barriers to Syria's economic and political reintegration following the ouster of former leader Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
This action by Washington follows a similar vote on Thursday by the United Nations Security Council, which also removed al-Sharaa from its own sanctions list.
Both Washington and the UN also delisted Anas Hasan Khattab, Syria’s new interior minister, who, like al-Sharaa, was previously linked to al-Qaeda during the nation's protracted civil war.
The delisting clears a major diplomatic hurdle ahead of President al-Sharaa's scheduled meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on November 10. The visit will be the first of its kind for a Syrian president and represents a stunning turnaround for al-Sharaa, who as a former fighter once battled U.S. troops in Iraq.
President Trump first met al-Sharaa in May during a regional summit in Saudi Arabia. At that time, Trump announced an end to some of the crippling economic sanctions put in place during the Assad regime, which analysts agreed had made it nearly impossible for the country to rebuild its economy.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, framed the UN's decision on Thursday as a recognition of a transformed nation.
“With the adoption of this text, the council is sending a strong political signal that recognises Syria is in a new era since Assad and his associates were toppled in December 2024,” Waltz said in a statement.
The momentum for normalization appears to be growing on Capitol Hill. The U.S. Congress has indicated it is working to repeal additional, lingering sanctions on Syria. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee welcomed the UN's move, stating it was time to “bring the Syrian economy into the 21st century.”