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United Nations Security Council members gave the green light to a US resolution to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa prior to his presidential meeting the coming week.

He was appointed provisional head of state following his leadership in an insurgent campaign that drove out the previous leader in winter 2024, bringing to a close 13 years of domestic strife.

The US representative Mike Waltz at the United Nations said the UN had sent "an emphatic political statement" that affirmed Syria's transition into "a different period" after Assad's removal.

Sharaa was under United Nations restrictions as the leader of the religious organization HTS, once connected to al-Qaeda. Washington eliminated the organization from the catalog of global extremist entities during July.

Additional Sanctions Relief

The UN also removed restrictions targeting Syria's Interior Minister Minister Anas Khattab.

The nation's top diplomat welcomed the removal of the penalties, stating online: "Syria expresses its appreciation to the United States and to friendly nations for backing the Syrian nation and citizens."

Upcoming White House Meeting

President Sharaa's presidential meeting at the start of the week occurs subsequent to President Trump said the Syrian leader had made "good progress" in establishing peace to the previously divided state.

Both presidents held discussions for the first time during May, when Trump visited Riyadh on a tour of the Middle East.

Subsequent to that discussion, the US president described the Syrian as a "strong individual" having a "formative history".

His former militant faction served as al-Qaeda's branch in Syria prior to breaking relations during 2016.

Previous US Visit

This week's diplomatic engagement is not the president's debut journey to the United States in the current year. This past fall, he emerged as the pioneering Middle Eastern head of state to address the global assembly at UN headquarters for nearly six decades.

Throughout his presentation, he declared the nation was "regaining its deserved status within the global community" and expressed solidarity toward Gaza's residents.

• President Sharaa addresses UN General Assembly for first time following approximately sixty years
• The presidential discussion with Sharaa, previously unimaginable, elevates national expectations