U.S. Treasury and State Department officials held talks on Thursday in Washington with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, the Treasury Department announced.
The visit, the first by a Syrian foreign minister to the United States in more than 25 years, comes as Damascus seeks the permanent lifting of remaining U.S. sanctions.
“Treasury is working with Syria to responsibly and safely reconnect its economy to the global financial system while combating the financing of terrorism,” the department said in a post on X, the U.S. social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Those present included U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, senior Treasury officials, and members of Shaibani’s delegation, including Qutaiba Idlbi, director of American affairs at the Syrian Foreign Ministry.
According to Axios, Shaibani is scheduled to meet U.S. senators to discuss the permanent removal of sanctions imposed under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, which targeted the Assad government for war crimes during the civil war.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order on 30 June to terminate the U.S. sanctions programme on Syria, though measures linked to human rights abuses, chemical weapons activity and drug trafficking remain in place.
The visit follows Trump’s announcement in May 2025 at a Saudi investment forum that he intended to lift the “brutal and crippling” Syria sanctions. A day later, Trump met Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia, marking the first meeting between U.S. and Syrian leaders in 25 years.
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Türkiye is pursuing a cautious approach to the escalating Middle East conflict while maintaining regional ties, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Tuesday, warning against actions that could deepen instability.
Traders placed more than $500 million in oil bets minutes before Donald Trump announced a delay to planned strikes on Iran, data shows, shortly before prices plunged.
Pakistan has offered to host talks between the U.S. and Iran to end the Gulf conflict, as tensions remain high despite reports of possible diplomacy and continued military strikes across the region.
Hezbollah has pledged to defend the region against Israeli forces, warning it will resist any move to occupy southern Lebanon, as Israel sets out plans to establish a buffer zone following its latest invasion.
The pilot and co-pilot of an Air Canada Express regional jet were killed after it collided with a fire truck while landing at New York's LaGuardia airport late on Sunday, in an incident that closed the airport, authorities and U.S. media said.
Trump says U.S. found “major points of agreement” with Iran and has paused strikes on Iranian power plants, but Tehran denies any direct talks or negotiations, contradicting U.S. claims - latest on Middle East conflict.
Pakistan has offered to host talks between the U.S. and Iran to bring an end to the conflict, while Lebanon has ordered the Iranian Ambassador to leave the country. Meanwhile, oil prices continue rising as the fallout from the Middle East conflict continues.
Violent clashes broke out between police and opposition protesters in Tirana on Sunday (22 March) as demonstrators were demanding the resignation of the Albanian government following corruption allegations against the deputy prime minister.
FinaFinal results from Slovenia’s parliamentary elections indicate a near tie between the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) and the liberal Freedom Movement Slovenia (GS), leaving neither side with a clear path to power.
Eurozone private sector growth almost stalled this month, a key survey showed on Tuesday, adding to evidence that the bloc is already feeling economic fallout from the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran, with inflation rising and growth slowing.
China is raising domestic petrol and diesel prices under temporary measures to manage a sharp surge in global oil costs, aiming to support fuel suppliers while maintaining market stability during a period of heightened volatility.
Russia launched drones and missiles overnight on Tuesday at Ukraine, killing at least three people, damaging houses and triggering fires, Ukrainian officials said.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Monday (23 March) that Britain must plan for the possibility that the Iran war could continue for some time, and added that he had no "meaningful concerns" about energy supply.
Australia and the European Union signed a trade deal on Tuesday that was eight years in the making, removing tariffs for almost all European goods and for nearly all exports of Australian critical minerals.
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