On November 6, the UN Security Council lifted sanctions on Syriaʼs interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa and the countryʼs interior minister Anas Khattab.
This is stated on the website of the UN press service.
The men were on a sanctions list against supporters of the terrorist groups Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda.
The resolution, proposed by the United States, was voted in favor by 14 out of 15 countries. China abstained, with Ambassador Fu Tsung stating that the United States had not fully taken into account the opinions of all members of the UN Security Council.
The document states the UNʼs intention to help rebuild Syria and its economy. The countryʼs interim government has pledged to ensure humanitarian access, fight terrorism, and respect human rights.
US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack told Axios that Trump will meet with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on November 10. The envoy also said that an agreement is expected to be signed on Syriaʼs joining the US-led coalition against the Islamic State.
Syria after the overthrow of the Assad regime
On December 8, 2024, the Syrian opposition entered the Syrian capital, Damascus, and overthrew the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who had been in power for 24 years. Assad himself fled to Moscow.
After that, Syria began to improve relations with other countries, and they began to lift sanctions on it. In particular, in February, the European Union lifted a number of restrictions on key sectors of the Syrian economy.
In April, the United Kingdom lifted the asset freeze on the Syrian Ministries of Defense and Interior and a number of other services — these sanctions were imposed during the presidency of Bashar Assad.
At the end of May 2025, the US Treasury Department authorized financial transactions with the Syrian interim government, the Syrian Central Bank, and state-owned enterprises.
Author: Anastasia Zaikova
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