The United States and Britain removed Syrian transitional president and its interior minister from Terrorist List
On Friday, the United States formally removed Syrian transitional President Ahmed al Sharaa from its terror list, days before his expected visit to Washington.
The US State Department issued the statement that was expected amid Sharaa’s cooperation with the United States, and it comes a day after the UN Security Council lifted sanctions on it in a vote on a US text.
“These measures are being taken in recognition of the progress shown by the Syrian leadership after the departure of Bashar al Assad and more than 50 years of repression under the Assad regime,” State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott said in a statement.
He pointed out that the legitimate government is meeting the demands of the United States, including working to find the missing Americans and dispose of any remaining chemical weapons.
In the same context, following the US footsteps, the British government announced on Friday lifting sanctions imposed on Ahmed al Sharaa.
The British decision also included the lifting of sanctions on Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab, with the official notice on the British government’s website updated to reflect this change.
Just a year ago, Sharaa, then known as Abu Muhammad al Jolani, was the leader of Hay’at Tahrir al Sham, the Syrian branch of al Qaeda, which the United States designated as a global terrorist and had previously offered a financial reward for information about him.
Sharaa is visiting the White House on Monday, while President Donald Trump has pledged to help Syria.
Israel, initially opposed these initiatives and has bombed Syria intensively since Assad’s fall with the aim of weakening its historic adversary.
The US and the British decision came a day after a UN resolution supported by 14 of the 15 council members, to remove the sanctions, while China abstained without objecting.
As of the moment of the British announcement, the Syrian government has not issued any official comment, especially since Friday is an official holiday in the country.
The move is seen as a political prelude to a new phase of international relations with Syria’s transitional government, in light of accelerated diplomatic moves that include high-level meetings and changes in Western positions toward Damascus.
