U.S., Syria Discuss Sanctions Relief, Economic Reconnection

(MENAFN) U.S. Treasury and State Department officials met Thursday with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani in Washington, marking the first visit by a Syrian foreign minister to the U.S. in over 25 years, the U.S. Treasury Department announced.

The meeting, which included U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack and senior Treasury officials, focused on efforts to reconnect Syria’s economy with the global financial system while combating the financing of terrorism, according to a statement shared on X, the U.S. social media platform.

Also attending were Qutaiba Idlbi, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ director of American affairs, and other members of Shaibani's delegation.

The discussions come as Damascus pushes for the permanent removal of the Caesar Act sanctions, imposed in 2019 in response to war crimes committed by the Assad regime during Syria’s civil war. The sanctions have crippled Syria’s economy, and the government is seeking relief to facilitate recovery.

During the visit, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in a meeting with Shaibani and Barrack. The meeting was attended by Senators Roger Wicker, Chris Coons, Joni Ernst, Jacky Rosen, Markwayne Mullin, Richard Blumenthal, and Andy Kim.

Shaheen noted the group’s agreement on the shared goal of a “stable, economically prosperous Syria,” stressing the importance of Syria’s recovery for regional stability. “Syria’s economy is in crisis, and its authorities need financial resources to maintain basic functions of governance,” she said. “If we are too slow to act, we risk plunging Syrians back into conflict, which is in no one’s interest except for Russia and Iran. … Now is the time for the Senate to act by repealing the Caesar Act sanctions.”

Meanwhile, Shaibani also met with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, who expressed optimism about Syria's future. “We discussed steps that are essential for Syria to ensure their full access to the international economy,” Risch said in a post on X. “Syria has an opportunity to build a stable democracy, something the region desperately needs right now, and I am hopeful they are on the right track.”

The talks come as the U.S. continues to evaluate the effectiveness of the sanctions, while Syria seeks to overcome the economic challenges exacerbated by the restrictions. Despite recent easing measures, many sanctions remain in place under the Caesar Act, designed to hold the Assad government accountable for its actions during the ongoing conflict.

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