Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Trump to Lift Sanctions on Syria In Major Policy Shift
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – In a sweeping shift in U.S. foreign policy, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he will lift all sanctions against Syria, following discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The move comes on the eve of a highly anticipated meeting with Syria’s Islamist President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander who rose to power after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad.
“I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” Trump said at an investment forum in Riyadh. “It’s their time to shine. We’re taking them all off. Good luck Syria, show us something very special.”
The announcement marks a dramatic turnaround in U.S. policy, given Sharaa’s past affiliations. Once a senior figure in al Qaeda’s Iraq branch and the leader of Syria’s Nusra Front (later rebranded as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS), Sharaa severed ties with the terrorist network in 2016. The U.S. lifted a $10 million bounty on his head last December.
Despite ongoing skepticism from U.S. allies — particularly Israel, which still views Sharaa as a jihadist — Trump emphasized that sanctions had fulfilled their purpose. “They had served an important function, but it was now time for Syria to move forward,” he said, adding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would meet with his Syrian counterpart later this week to begin normalizing relations.
Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani welcomed the announcement, calling it a “pivotal turning point.”
“We … stand ready to foster a relationship with the United States that is rooted in mutual respect, trust and shared interests,” Shibani said in a statement to Reuters. He also suggested the move could lead to a “historic peace deal and victory for US interests in Syria.”
The U.S. sanctions, many of which date back to the Assad regime and were expanded by Congress in 2019, had isolated Syria from global markets and financial institutions, making postwar recovery nearly impossible. The removal of these restrictions could now open the door for foreign investment and reconstruction efforts long championed by regional powers.
Syria’s new leadership has hinted at openness, even with Israel. Though Israel continues to occupy territory near the Golan Heights and regularly conducts airstrikes in Syria, Damascus has signaled interest in long-term peace, a move analysts say is aimed at reshaping its image globally.
The United Nations, which has repeatedly urged an end to Syria-related sanctions, praised the U.S. decision. “It was important for us to see relief on sanctions on Syria to help the reconstruction of Syria, to help the Syrian people recover from more than a decade of conflict, a decade of underinvestment,” said U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly Syria’s al Qaeda affiliate, was officially dissolved in January. Though still under a decade-old U.N. arms embargo and asset freeze, the U.S. did not clarify whether it would advocate for those U.N. designations to be lifted as well.
Trump’s meeting with Sharaa, expected Wednesday morning in Saudi Arabia, will be the first between a U.S. president and a Syrian leader since the civil war began in 2011. A White House official confirmed the meeting and described it as an “opportunity to explore a new chapter in U.S.-Syria relations.”
While the Biden administration had left decisions on Syrian policy unresolved, Gulf nations — particularly Saudi Arabia and Turkey — have thrown their support behind Sharaa’s transitional government. They view his leadership as a bulwark against renewed Iranian influence, which had surged under Assad thanks to military and financial support from Tehran and Moscow.
Trump, who once harshly criticized Islamist factions in Syria, appeared to shift his stance as he departed Washington. “We’re weighing everything,” he said Monday. “President Erdogan has been very persuasive. And frankly, we’re seeing new opportunities in the region that we didn’t think were possible even six months ago.”
Al-Sharaa, whose real name is reportedly Ahmad Hussein al-Sharaa, still faces an open arrest warrant in Iraq on terrorism charges stemming from his involvement with al Qaeda following the 2003 U.S. invasion. Yet his political rehabilitation in the eyes of Gulf leaders — and now potentially Washington — signals a striking recalibration of Middle East dynamics.
The world now watches to see whether Trump’s gamble will usher in stability — or new controversy — in one of the world’s most volatile regions.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
In a setback to those hoping for regime change in the Islamic Republic, U.S. President Donald J. Trump signaled Friday that he may begin “winding down” military operations against Iran, saying Washington is close to achieving its objectives.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance is expected to visit Hungary in a last-minute show of support for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who faces his toughest election since returning to power in 2010, officials familiar with the planning confirmed.
Anti-immigration and local parties made gains in municipal elections in the Netherlands, where concerns over rising migration from mainly Islamic countries, the financial impact of climate policies, and increased defense spending have dominated national and local debates.
Israel signaled Thursday it would refrain from further attacks on energy infrastructure after a strike on Iran’s vast South Pars natural gas field triggered retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, sending oil and natural gas prices sharply higher and raising fears of a wider regional escalation.
European Union leaders condemned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s decision on Thursday to block a 90 billion euro ($98 billion) loan for Ukraine, linking his stance to a dispute with Kyiv over Russian oil supplies.
Families and friends of scores of Christians held in Iranian prisons have requested prayers as “concerns for their well-being grow and communication has all but ceased” amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, Christians told Worthy News Thursday.
As a marathon debate over the SAVE America Act continues in the U.S. Senate, Republicans and Democrats are sparring over whether the voter ID bill would strengthen election security or discourage potential voters.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com