U.S. Envoy Meets Syrian Transitional President in Istanbul After Trump Lifts Sanctions
First high-level meeting between Washington and Damascus in over a decade signals a dramatic policy shift aimed at stabilizing Syria and defeating ISIS.
Watan-U.S. Special Envoy to Syria and Ambassador to Turkey, Thomas Barak, announced on Saturday that he met with Syrian transitional president Ahmad Al-Sharaa in Istanbul, marking the first high-level official meeting following President Donald Trump’s decision to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria.
In a statement released Sunday, Barak said he discussed with Al-Sharaa and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani the implementation of Trump’s bold decision to “pave the way for peace and prosperity in Syria.”
“I affirmed that lifting sanctions on Syria aligns with our core objective—the enduring defeat of ISIS—and offers the Syrian people a real chance at a better future,” Barak stated.
The U.S. envoy praised the “concrete steps” taken by President Al-Sharaa, including cooperation on foreign fighter issues, anti-ISIS measures, improving ties with Israel, and new policies regarding refugee camps and detention centers in northeastern Syria.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the meeting also addressed the continued implementation of the sanctions relief, with President Al-Sharaa stressing that sanctions still weigh heavily on Syrians and obstruct economic recovery efforts.
The two sides also discussed support for foreign investment, especially in energy and infrastructure sectors, with Damascus expressing readiness to offer incentives to attract investors.
These developments follow the White House’s formal announcement of the lifting of sanctions on Syria, ending a 14-year embargo. The Syrian government welcomed the move, calling it a “positive step.”
A statement from the Syrian presidency confirmed the meeting included the foreign minister and noted that Al-Sharaa also paid a surprise visit to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Istanbul. Turkey has emerged as a key supporter of the new Syrian government, calling for the complete lifting of all international sanctions imposed during the era of ousted president Bashar Al-Assad.
