The UN Security Council voted to remove Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab from the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List. The U.S.-drafted resolution passed with 14 votes in favour and one abstention (China).
The move signals a major shift in international policy toward post-war Syria and comes days before al-Sharaa’s first official visit to the White House. It paves the way for broader engagement with Damascus and could unlock cooperation on regional security and humanitarian issues.
The decision follows the 2024-2025 political transition in Syria and recent U.S. efforts to recalibrate policy. While UN terror-list measures have now been lifted, parts of the U.S. sanctions architecture (notably the Caesar Act) are separate and remain subject to ongoing debate in Washington.
Diplomatic attention now turns to al-Sharaa’s Washington meetings and potential follow-on steps at the UN and in the EU regarding wider economic restrictions, as well as Syria’s prospective role in regional security arrangements.
Sources: AP News, Reuters, CNA