Trump Meets Syria's Interim President, Pledges to Lift Sanctions

President Donald Trump recently pledged to lift blistering sanctions on Syria to facilitate the latter’s transition into a prosperous and civilized state. 

The sanctions relief promise was made during President Trump’s address at the Saudi-US investment forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

Trump pledged that he “will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria, to give them a chance at greatness."

Syria is undergoing a political transition following Bashar al-Assad’s forced departure from the country after rebel forces took control of the country.  

Since then, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has remained at the helm of Syria as the country constructs a new government. 

Trump believes Syria’s ongoing transition is an opportunity for “peacebuilding.” 

Sanctions relief could provide a window of opportunity for the US to forge lasting economic and diplomatic ties with Syria, potentially guiding Syria into the rules-based international order.

During his visit to Saudi Arabia, Trump met with President al-Sharaa and reiterated his commitment to lifting sanctions.

He also urged Syria to expand cooperation with the US's counterterrorism efforts. 

According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump requested al-Sharaa sign the Abraham Accords with Israel, tell all foreign terrorists to leave Syria, deport Palestinian terrorists, help prevent the resurgence of ISIS, and oversee detained ISIS terrorists. 

The US and Syrian forces have previously cooperated in the fight against ISIS and similar Islamic fundamentalist terrorist groups. 

Last March, for example, US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported the capture of ISIS-K leadership as a result of a joint mission between US forces and armed Syrian groups. 

CENTCOM claimed its forces had cooperated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition of armed Kurdish groups, to capture Salah Mohammad Al-Abdullah, an ISIS cell leader, in the vicinity of Shahil, Syria.

In February and January, CENTCOM and SDF forces ‘enabled’ by the US executed various similar missions targeting ISIS-K and HaD. 

“As we have said in the past, we will continue to relentlessly pursue these terrorists in order to defend our homeland, and U.S., allied, and partner personnel in the region,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM’s commander.