Syrian Official Praises Trump-Lifted Sanctions as 'Historic' Following Initial U.S. Encounter
In a game-changing move, interim Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa expressed heartfelt gratitude towards US President Donald Trump for his "ballsy" decision to ease sanctions on Syria.
Addressing the nation on TV, Sharaa lauded Trump's action as a "historic and bold step," claiming it would alleviate the people's hardships, pave the way for their revival, and set the stage for regional stability.
The US president's offer to alleviate economic pressures on Syria, primarily imposed during the repressive regime of ousted president Bashar al-Assad, comes as a much-needed boon for the conflict-weary country, even as it grapples with Sharaa's power takeover in December.
This significant meeting between Trump and Sharaa took place in Riyadh on Wednesday, marking a groundbreaking encounter, as Trump became the first US president to have a sit-down with a Syrian leader in a good 25 years. During the meeting, Trump implored Sharaa to foster peace with Israel.
Sharaa showered appreciation on Saudi Arabia's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who orchestrated the meeting, as well as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan—a staunch ally of the new Damascus administration—for their role in facilitating the meeting.
“Syrians, the journey ahead is still arduous. Today, we roll up our sleeves, embarking on the tough work to usher in modern Syria,” Sharaa said.
The civil war sparked in 2011 led to over half a million deaths, uprooted millions, and devastated the Middle Eastern nation.
Washington imposed stringent financial sanctions on Syria during the war, vowing to penalize anyone involved in reconstruction as long as Assad remained in power. However, Trump didn't offer any hints about his intentions to erase Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation dating back to 1979 in response to Assad's support of Palestinian militants—a sanction that substantially restricts investment.
- Despite the historic easing of sanctions, Trump's decision not to remove Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism remains a challenging issue in the politics of war-and-conflicts, as it continues to significantly restrict investment.
- As Syria struggles to recover from the devastation caused by terrorism, the civil war, and years of conflict, the discussion about the future of the country in terms of politics, regional stability, and general news is more crucial than ever.
