Trump announces plan to lift punishing sanctions on Syria

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - RIYADH — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he plans to lift sanctions on Syria following last year’s fall of the Assad regime, saying the move will “give them a chance at greatness.”

The removal of the sanctions is a significant win for the Syrian government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, who seized power after the stunning defeat of the Assad regime in December. It is likely to be seen as a blow by the Israeli government, which escalated military and territorial advancements in Syria in the wake of the Assad collapse.

Trump said in remarks to a Saudi investment forum in Riyadh that he made the decision after discussing with it Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan..

“Syria, they’ve had their share of travesty, war, killing in many years. That’s why my administration has already taken the first steps toward restoring normal relations between the United States and Syria for the first time in more than a decade,” he said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet with Syria’s foreign minister in Turkey “later this week,” Trump said.

The Assad regime fell during the Biden administration in December, and Syria’s new leaders have hoped Trump would consider lifting the punishing sanctions on the country.

“The sanctions were brutal and crippling and served as an important — really an important function — nevertheless, at the time. But now it’s their time to shine,” Trump said. “So, I say, ‘Good luck, Syria.’ Show us something very special.”

Trump expressed hope that Syria’s new government “will hopefully succeed in stabilizing the country in keeping peace.”

New Syrian President al-Sharaa previously founded a militant group known as Jabhat al-Nusra, or “the Victory Front” in English, which pledged allegiance to al Qaeda. But in 2016, he broke away from the terror group, according to the US Center for Naval Analyses.

Trump is expected to informally greet al-Sharaa in Riyadh on Wednesday, a White House official said earlier Tuesday — the highest-level engagement to date between the new Syrian government and the Trump administration. The US has not formally reestablished diplomatic ties or recognized the al-Sharaa government, but sources say there has been lower-level engagement.

Syria’s foreign minister, Asaad Al-Shaibani, welcomed the news of the US sanctions relief.

“We see the lifting of sanctions as a new beginning on the path to reconstruction,” he posted to X. “Thanks to the stances of our Arab brothers — foremost among them Saudi Arabia — we are opening a new chapter toward a future worthy of the Syrian people and their history.”

The UN’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, also welcomed the announcement, saying the lifting of sanctions is imperative to allow the delivery of essential services like health care and education and to revive the economy.

The US move comes after the United Kingdom and European Union lifted some, but not all, of their sanctions on Syria earlier this year.

On Capitol Hill, the top senators on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — Republican Jim Risch and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen — had encouraged the move before Trump’s trip. Shaheen said in a statement Tuesday she is “encouraged by the President’s announcement to move expeditiously and am in touch with the State Department and NSC to make sure this long-awaited window of opportunity does not close for Syria.”

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, offered a more reserved response.

“I am very inclined to support sanctions relief for Syria under the right conditions. However, we must remember that the current leadership in Syria achieved its position through force of arms, not through the will of its people,” the South Carolina lawmaker said.

Graham, who said in a press release he had just arrived in Turkey, noted he has “been in close contact with Israel, as they are extremely concerned about the state of play in Syria.”

“During this trip, I will be discussing this matter with our allies in Turkey and will maintain extremely close coordination with our allies in Israel so that we can fully understand the implications of sanctions waivers,” he said.

Meanwhile, social media videos showed jubilant crowds in the main square of the city of Homs. People were seen wielding Syrian and Saudi Arabian flags as the crowd chanted: “Hail Saudi Arabia, hail Saudi Arabia! Hail Salman, hail Salman!” in apparent reference to the Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Another video from the city showed large crowds gathered outside as fireworks lit up the night sky overhead.

“As a revolutionary Syrian, our ultimate goal is to rebuild our country,” said Osaid Basha, who was celebrating in Homs.

He thanked the US and said Trump’s announcement “marks the first step toward recovery, and toward restoring Syria to its former state — or even better.”

“One of the key objectives of the revolution — toppling the regime — has already been achieved,” he told CNN. “Now, the focus must be on moving the country forward.”

A video from the city of Latakia showed cars and motorcycles driving down the street, honking their horns as their passengers waved Syrian flags.

The country’s economy and trade minister, Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar, shed tears live on air with Saudi outlet Al Arabiya, as he underscored that Syria is “now entering a new phase.”

“Syria’s revival is about to begin. We are heading toward an economic renaissance, now that the international community has reopened its doors to us,” he said tearfully, stressing that the country’s new government and investors are ready.

“The Syrian people will soon enjoy an unprecedented level of relief and comfort,” he cried.

Natasha Hall, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Middle East Program, told CNN that in addition to the announcement marking a win for al-Sharaa, it is also a win for the Saudi crown prince.

“(Trump) is saying this publicly to maybe reassure others that they have the tacit approval to give Syria a better opportunity, a shot, and so the optics of that are quite a big deal,” Hall said. “Now if that is also met with some kind of public meeting between al-Sharaa and Trump, or even a secret meeting, this means that the United States is clearly taking steps in a direction to give Syria a chance to rebuild.”

Al-Shaar told Al Arabiya he expects the impact of the sanctions being lifted to begin as soon as the country is reinstated into SWIFT, a messaging service that connects financial institutions around the world.

“Funds will start flowing in, initially from Syrians abroad, followed by supportive countries. The wheels of the economy will start turning, and trade and investment promises will begin to materialize, as the landscape is now open for investment,” he said. The minister said the “path is now clear” for anyone who wants to invest in Syria and that this would, in turn, provide some financial relief to the country’s citizens. — CNN