The United States has lifted sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa ahead of his planned visit to the White House next week. The move follows a similar decision by the UN Security Council and comes days before his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
A notice published by the U.S. Treasury Department confirmed the removal of Specially Designated Global sanctions on al-Sharaa and Syria’s Interior Minister Anas Khattab, without detailing the reasons for the change.
The upcoming visit, scheduled for Monday, will mark the first White House meeting with a Syrian president in 25 years, and the second face-to-face encounter between al-Sharaa and Trump.
Ahead of their first meeting in May, Trump signaled a major shift in Washington’s approach to Damascus, announcing plans to ease U.S. restrictions on Syria.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump described al-Sharaa in positive terms, saying: “I think he’s doing a very good job.” He added that Syria was “a tough neighborhood” and noted progress in relations.
Trump also said the decision to remove sanctions was intended to allow Syria “a fighting shot” at stability.
The policy shift reflects a significant change in U.S.–Syria engagement, though officials have not yet outlined broader diplomatic or economic implications.
Afghanistan’s foreign ministry says the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has pledged continued cooperation after...
Amid fragile calm, António Guterres urged constructive U.S.- Iran talks, while Pope Leo XIV warned violence is spreading. Lebanon's Pres...
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei has declared a “decisive victory” over the U.S. and Israel, signalling a &...
A charity co-founded by Prince Harry in honour of his late mother, Princess Diana, is suing him for libel at the High Court in London, according to...
Uzbekistan is advancing plans to reduce the state’s role in the economy while introducing a VAT refund system for foreign visitors, as part o...
Hungary votes on Sunday in a parliamentary election that could loosen Viktor Orbán’s 16-year hold on power. His ruling Fidesz faces a strong challenge from Péter Magyar’s Tisza party, which has led some polls, though many voters remain undecided.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has told Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun that “people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are Chinese” and that the future of cross-strait ties should be decided by “the Chinese people themselves”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has given an instruction for Israel to begin peace talks with Lebanon that would also include the disarming of Hezbollah.
More than a million Sudanese refugees now face drastic cuts to life-saving aid, including food and water, after major funding shortfalls have left humanitarian agencies struggling to cope.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has given an instruction for Israel to begin peace talks with Lebanon that would also include the disarming of Hezbollah.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to continue dialogue and avoid steps that could worsen tensions after China-hosted talks in Urumqi, with Kabul and Beijing saying the meetings focused on easing differences and improving relations.
Amid fragile calm, António Guterres urged constructive U.S.- Iran talks, while Pope Leo XIV warned violence is spreading. Lebanon's President said an Israeli strike killed 13 security personnel in Nabatieh.
Memorial events were held in Tehran’s main squares on Wednesday (8 April) to mark the 40th day since the killing of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died during U.S.-Israeli attacks on 28 February.
North Korea has tested a new cluster-bomb warhead mounted on a tactical ballistic missile, alongside advanced electromagnetic and infrastructure-targeting weapons, in a significant escalation of its military capabilities.
A charity co-founded by Prince Harry in honour of his late mother, Princess Diana, is suing him for libel at the High Court in London, according to a court record published on Friday (10 April).
The European Union and Washington are nearing an agreement to coordinate the production and security of critical minerals, Bloomberg News reported on Friday (10 April).
In a forceful rebuke to Washington’s foreign policy in the Americas, a senior Russian diplomat has declared that Moscow will never abandon Cuba, pledging ongoing support to help the Communist-run island overcome a severe energy crisis linked to the United States embargo.
Hungary votes on Sunday in a parliamentary election that could loosen Viktor Orbán’s 16-year hold on power. His ruling Fidesz faces a strong challenge from Péter Magyar’s Tisza party, which has led some polls, though many voters remain undecided.
While a fragile ceasefire in the Iran war may deliver badly needed relief to economies battered by the world’s worst-ever energy crisis, hopes it will quickly restore normal oil and gas flows from the Middle East are almost certainly misplaced.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment