The United States has proposed a draft United Nations Security Council resolution seeking to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.
According to the draft resolution seen by Reuters on Tuesday, the measure would also remove sanctions on Syria’s Interior Minister, Anas Khattab. It was not immediately clear when the draft might be put to a vote. A Security Council resolution requires at least nine affirmative votes and no vetoes from the five permanent members, the U.S., Russia, China, France, and Britain to pass.
Washington has for months been pressing the 15-member Council to ease sanctions on Syria, arguing that the move could support regional stability and humanitarian efforts.
The proposal comes nearly a year after Syria’s long-time ruler, Bashar al-Assad, was ousted in December following a rapid offensive by insurgent forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Formerly the Nusra Front, HTS was once al Qaeda’s official affiliate in Syria before cutting formal ties in 2016.
Both Sharaa and Khattab, now in power, remain on the UN’s al Qaeda and Islamic State sanctions list which includes measures such as a travel ban, asset freeze, and arms embargo. However, the Security Council’s sanctions committee has granted Sharaa temporary travel exemptions several times this year.
Even if the U.S.-sponsored resolution is not adopted before Monday, the exemptions make it likely that the Syrian president will still be able to travel to Washington for the meeting with President Trump.
The Trump administration’s proposal follows the president’s earlier policy shift in May, when he announced plans to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria to encourage diplomatic re-engagement.
A UN monitoring report released in July noted that there were “no active ties” detected this year between al Qaeda and HTS, bolstering Washington’s argument for easing restrictions on the Syrian leadership.
