Just a year ago, the Syrian president, Ahmed Al Sharaahad his own profile among the most wanted in the CIAwith a reward of 10 million dollars for anyone who gave information about his whereabouts. This Monday, dressed in a suit and tie, accompanied by his ministers and sworn in as interim Syrian president, Al Sharaa made a historic visit to Oval Office of the White Housewhere he met with his American counterpart, Donald Trumpthe vice president, JD Vanceand the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
Al Sharaa, before becoming the Syrian president after the end of the Syrian civil war, was the leader of the militia Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS)subsidiary of Al Qaeda and Syria until 2017, the year in which the group—and Al Sharaa, then known by its nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al Jolani— they renounced jihadism.
“After intense preparations that have lasted months, President Al Sharaa has had a constructive meeting with President Trump. We have placed emphasis on supporting the unity of syriaare reconstruction and the removal of obstacles on its path to its future rebirth,” said the Foreign Minister of the Arab country, Asaad Shaibaniin a publication on social networks after the meeting, which has hardly been followed by details or communications from Washington.
One of the main points discussed has been, supposedly, the entry in the coming days to the International Coalition for the fight against jihadism and Islamic State (IS).
The meeting this Monday, thus, was the first time that a Syrian president —Syria was founded in 1946 after French decolonization—who officially visits Washington and the White House. Damascus was always an ally of the Soviet Union, first, and Russia, later, especially during the years of government and dictatorship of Hafez al Asadfrom 1971 to 2000, and his son Bashar, from 2000 to December 2024.
Despite the relevance of the meeting, it occurred without fanfare or the traditional talk before the press of a Trump who, when an international leader comes, likes to create a “television show”as he himself has stated on several occasions. This time it was not like that: the meeting was completely closed to the press and, in fact, Al Sharaa has secretly entered the White House “for security reasons,” according to leaks from US officials.
Suspension of sanctions
While the American billionaire and the former Syrian militiaman were meeting, the United States Treasury has announced the suspension, for a period of 180 daysof the Acta Caesar a package of sanctions against Syria imposed by the US in 2019.
This suspension represents the penultimate step in the long path that the Arab country has had to travel—in just one year—to see how all the restrictions are lifted. international sanctions against him. These sanctions were imposed against the previous regime, of Hafez and Bashar al Assad. The last step, thus, depends on the US Congresswhich must approve, in the coming weeks or months, the definitive lifting of the Caesar sanctions against Syria. During the meeting, the US also announced permission for Damascus to reopen its embassy in Washington.
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