Jolani visits White House amid complex Damascus-Washington relations.
He wrote about Golani’s visit to the United States: In a rare event, US President Donald Trump is hosting Ahmed al-Sharaa, the first Syrian president to enter the White House. This is their third meeting, but it has more significance than a historical one because after years of severing ties, the two sides are discussing sensitive issues, including the possibility of an agreement with Israel.
Former US officials, including William Roebuck, former deputy US envoy to the anti-ISIS coalition, believe that al-Sharaa can be a reliable partner and save the US from continuing a costly war. Trump also considers him an “influential figure” who can push Washington towards a new policy towards Syria.
Golani seeks complete lifting of sanctions; uncertainty and hesitation in Congress
Ahead of this meeting, the UN Security Council, at the suggestion of Washington, removed the names of al-Sharaa and his Minister of the Interior, Anas Khattab, from the sanctions list; However, al-Sharaa’s goal goes further: he seeks a complete lifting of economic sanctions on Syria, something that can only be achieved through congressional approval, not Trump’s decision alone.
A few days before al-Sharaa’s trip, the United States submitted a draft resolution to the Security Council to lift sanctions against him and his interior minister, which was endorsed by 14 countries, including Russia. Al-Sharaa welcomed the move, saying he hoped talks with Washington on the future of relations would expand.
Last May, during a trip to Riyadh, Trump abruptly announced his intention to lift US sanctions on Syria, a move that came at the request of Mohammed bin Salman and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. US sanctions on Syria have a history of more than 45 years, starting in 1979 with the inclusion of Damascus on the list of “state sponsors of terrorism.”
In 2003, the “Syria Accountability and Protection of Lebanese Sovereignty Act” was passed, and with the outbreak of the civil war, the “Caesar Act” (2019) imposed the toughest set of sanctions on Damascus. Trump not only promised to lift the sanctions, but also accepted bin Salman’s invitation to meet with the Syrian president.
However, Roebuck predicts that Washington will soon ease the sanctions because Trump has shown a strong desire to do so. Tom Barrack also wrote in an article: “Caesar’s law has served its purpose, and now it’s time to give Syria a chance.”