The U.N. The Security Council has voted to remove Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara from its terrorism sanctions list, just days before his planned visit to Washington, marking a dramatic shift in Syria’s international standing.
UN Security Council removes sanctions on Syria’s president, interior minister https://t.co/qCJiGBsKIS https://t.co/qCJiGBsKIS
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 7, 2025
Once an Islamist rebel leader with alleged Al Qaeda links, al-Shara led the uprising that ended over five decades of dictatorship in Syria last December. The United States had previously offered a $10 million bounty for his capture but has since dropped the designation, signaling a thaw in relations.
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The U.S.-drafted resolution passed with 14 votes in favor and China abstaining. Syria’s Interior Minister Anas Khattab was also delisted. The move paves the way for al-Shara’s first-ever meeting with President Trump at the White House, where he is expected to discuss cooperation against ISIS and Syria’s postwar recovery.
Analysts say the decision could accelerate the lifting of broader sanctions and boost Syria’s reconstruction efforts after decades of isolation
