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The United Nations Security Council is set to hold a vote Thursday on a U.S.-backed proposal to remove Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa and Interior Minister Enes Hattab from the UN’s terrorism-related sanctions list.
The decision comes just days before President Sharaa’s scheduled visit to Washington for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to diplomatic sources, the United States submitted the draft resolution calling for the delisting of both Syrian officials, who are currently under UN sanctions targeting individuals linked to Daesh and al-Qaeda. The sanctions, imposed in 2014, include travel bans, asset freezes, and arms embargoes.
The sources said Washington made several revisions to the draft text ahead of the vote, including changes to the definition of “foreign fighters.” Notably, the updated draft reportedly excludes a Chinese-supported clause that would have introduced a one-year renewable exemption for specific sanctioned individuals.
Beijing had earlier proposed temporary suspensions of sanctions for certain figures, pushing for explicit references to foreign fighters in the resolution. However, the U.S. rejected these amendments, urging the Council to proceed with the vote without delay.
The timing of the vote is significant, coming as Washington prepares to host President Sharaa next week. The visit follows months of cautious diplomatic contact between the two governments, which had been estranged for over two decades.
In May, during the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh, President Trump announced that Washington intended to lift sanctions on Syria, a move welcomed by Damascus and several Arab states. The following day, Trump and Sharaa held their first in-person meeting — the first direct encounter between U.S. and Syrian leaders in 25 years.
Even if the resolution fails to pass, diplomatic sources said that Sharaa’s upcoming trip is unlikely to face obstacles, as the UN committee overseeing sanctions enforcement has already granted him multiple travel exemptions this year.
Observers say the move reflects Washington’s growing willingness to re-engage with Damascus amid shifting regional dynamics and increasing Arab normalization efforts toward Syria. The outcome of today’s UN vote is expected to set the tone for a potential new phase in U.S.–Syrian relations. (ILKHA)
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