The UN Security Council voted Thursday to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, days before his scheduled meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
The resolution, drafted by Washington, also removed sanctions on Syria’s Interior Minister Anas Khattab. It passed with 14 votes in favor and one abstention from China.
US President Donald Trump talks about Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa
(Video: X)
The United States had been pushing for months to ease restrictions on Syria after Trump announced a major policy shift in May. “I think he’s doing an excellent job,” Trump told reporters in Washington. “It’s a tough neighborhood, and he’s a tough man, but we’ve gotten along very well. We lifted the sanctions to give Syria a real chance.”
Trump added that the move came “at the request of Turkey, Israel, and several other countries.” He also said Iran has requested that U.S. sanctions on it be lifted. “These are very heavy sanctions that make it hard for them to do what they want,” Trump said. “I’m open to hearing about it — we’ll see what happens.”
The president also mentioned that an international stabilization force “will be deployed to Gaza very soon.”
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Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and U.S. President Donald Trump
(Photo: Bandar Aljaloud/Saudi Royal Palace, AP)
China abstains, citing terror concerns
China was the only member to abstain from the vote. Its UN ambassador, Fu Cong, said the resolution “did not adequately address our concerns regarding counterterrorism and security in Syria.” Beijing has long voiced alarm over the presence of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a Uyghur militant group operating in Syria.
Fu said the decision “makes clear that Syria must take decisive steps to combat terrorism and address the threat posed by foreign fighters, including ETIM.”
Human rights groups have repeatedly accused China of severe abuses against its Muslim Uyghur minority.
Russia backs resolution, hails 'Syrian progress'
Russia’s UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya said Moscow supported the “concise and pragmatic” resolution, noting that it “primarily reflects the interests and aspirations of the Syrian people.”
Moscow has long served as Damascus’s diplomatic protector, vetoing more than a dozen resolutions during the war — often with China’s support.
Syria’s UN ambassador Ibrahim Aulabi welcomed the move, calling it “a message of support for the Syrian people in their efforts to rebuild their homeland and reclaim their lives.”
“The new Syria will be a success story,” Aulabi said. “It will serve as a shining model proving that the right path in international relations is one of constructive engagement and mutual respect.”