The Media Line: UN Lifts Sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa Ahead of White House Visit  

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UN Lifts Sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa Ahead of White House Visit  

By The Media Line Staff  

The UN Security Council has voted to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa ahead of his upcoming visit to Washington, signaling the international community’s recognition of a post-Assad era in Syria. The US-sponsored resolution, passed Thursday with 14 votes in favor and one abstention from China, removes longstanding restrictions on Sharaa and several senior officials, including Interior Minister Anas Khattab.  

Al-Sharaa, once known as Mohammed al-Jolani when he led the group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), assumed the presidency after a December 2024 offensive that ended Bashar Assad’s 13-year rule. HTS, which broke from al-Qaida in 2016, was delisted by the United States as a terrorist organization in July, followed by similar moves from the United Kingdom and other allies.  

Washington’s ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, said the vote “sends a strong political signal” that Syria has entered a new phase. He credited al-Sharaa’s government with improving humanitarian access, dismantling chemical weapons sites, and promoting a Syrian-led political process. The resolution also commits the transitional government to fight terrorism and uphold human rights.  

Beijing’s envoy, Fu Cong, said China abstained because the United States had not adequately incorporated the views of other council members, calling the process “unilateral and politically driven.” Despite that, Western and regional powers largely welcomed the move. Britain’s deputy envoy, James Kariuki, praised Syria’s progress on counterterrorism and chemical disarmament, while Russia’s Vassily Nebenzya said the measure “puts Syria further on the road to recovery,” urging reconstruction support during the transition.  

In Damascus, Syria’s ambassador to the UN, Ibrahim Abdulmalik Olabi, hailed the decision as “a badge of honor” and proof of renewed international confidence in the country’s leadership. He said the new government aims to build “a modern state founded on the rule of law” and restore Syria’s role as “a bridge between East and West.”  

President Donald Trump, who will host al-Sharaa at the White House next week, said the Syrian leader has made “good progress” toward peace. The visit follows al-Sharaa’s historic address to the UN General Assembly in September—Syria’s first in nearly six decades—and marks the next step in its reintegration into global diplomacy.