UK and UN Lift Sanctions on Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa Ahead of US Visit

By Staff, Agencies

The United Kingdom has lifted sanctions on Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, following a UN Security Council resolution that removed similar measures days before his anticipated meeting with US President Donald Trump.

According to a notice published Friday on the UK government’s sanctions registry, London also lifted sanctions on Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab, both of whom had been under asset freezes and travel bans since earlier measures accused them of links to ISIS and al-Qaeda.

The UN Security Council voted Thursday to end sanctions first imposed in 2014, when al-Sharaa was a senior figure in Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — a group that evolved from al-Qaeda-aligned factions in Syria.

The Council cited a lack of ongoing operational ties between HTS and al-Qaeda as justification for lifting restrictions, which had included an arms embargo.

The resolution was adopted with 14 votes in favor, while Russia supported the measure and China abstained.

Diplomats said the move reflects a notable shift in international policy toward Syria’s transitional authorities, which have recently gained broader diplomatic recognition amid efforts to stabilize the country after years of war.

The decision is seen as paving the way for al-Sharaa’s visit to Washington next week — the first by a Syrian head of state to the United States in decades — signaling a potential realignment in regional diplomacy.