US Proposes UN Resolution to Lift Sanctions on Syrian President Before White House Visit

The United States has put forward a draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council proposing to remove sanctions against Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, ahead of his scheduled White House meeting with US President Donald Trump on Monday.

According to documents examined by Reuters on Tuesday, the resolution would also eliminate sanctions on Syria's Interior Minister Anas Khattab. The timing for when this resolution might be voted upon remains uncertain. For adoption, such resolutions require at least nine favorable votes and no vetoes from the permanent members: Russia, China, the United States, France, or Britain.

For several months now, Washington has been advocating for the Security Council's 15 members to ease the sanctions imposed on Syria.

Syria's political landscape changed dramatically in December when President Bashar al-Assad was removed from power following a rapid offensive by insurgent forces led by the Islamist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), ending 13 years of civil conflict.

HTS, previously known as the Nusra Front, functioned as al Qaeda's official Syrian branch until severing ties in 2016. Since May 2014, the group has been included on the UN Security Council's sanctions list for al Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates.

Several HTS members, including leader Sharaa and Khattab, remain under UN sanctions, which include travel restrictions, asset freezes, and arms embargoes.

Throughout this year, a Security Council sanctions committee has regularly granted travel exemptions to Sharaa, meaning that even if the US-drafted resolution isn't adopted before Monday, the Syrian president would likely still be permitted to visit the White House.

In May, Trump announced a significant shift in US policy by declaring his intention to lift American sanctions on Syria.

According to a UN report viewed by Reuters in July, United Nations sanctions monitors have observed no "active ties" between al Qaeda and HTS during this year.