U.S. Requests U.N. to Lift Sanctions on Syrian President Ahead of White House Visit

📷SPA

WASHINGTON, November 5 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – The United States has submitted a draft United Nations Security Council resolution to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa ahead of his planned visit to the White House on Monday, according to a draft seen by Reuters.

The proposed resolution also calls for lifting sanctions on Syria’s Interior Minister Anas Khattab. It is not yet clear when the Security Council will vote on the measure. For adoption, the resolution requires at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes from any of the five permanent council members: the United States, Russia, China, France, or the United Kingdom.

Washington has urged the 15-member Council for months to ease sanctions on Syria, which were first imposed more than a decade ago.

President al-Sharaa took office after the December ouster of Bashar al-Assad, following a lightning offensive by insurgent forces led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Formerly known as the Nusra Front, HTS was once al Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria before cutting ties in 2016. Both al-Sharaa and Khattab are currently listed on the U.N. Security Council’s sanctions list targeting al Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates.

Although both Syrian officials remain under U.N. travel bans and asset freezes, the Council’s sanctions committee has repeatedly granted travel exemptions to al-Sharaa this year. As a result, even if the resolution is not adopted before Monday, the Syrian president is still likely to be allowed to travel to Washington.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced in May that he would lift American sanctions on Syria, marking a significant shift in U.S. policy.

According to U.N. sanctions monitors, there have been no "active ties" this year between HTS and al Qaeda, Reuters reported in July.