The U.S. has submitted a draft U.N. Security Council resolution asking members to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab ahead of a planned White House visit. Approval would require nine votes and no veto from the council’s five permanent members and could be considered as soon as Thursday. The U.S. says the move accompanies Syria’s expected joining of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, but key U.S. sanctions enacted by Congress in 2019 would still require congressional action to be revoked.
U.S. Asks U.N. to Remove Sanctions on Syrian President Ahead of Historic White House Visit
The U.S. has submitted a draft U.N. Security Council resolution asking members to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab ahead of a planned White House visit. Approval would require nine votes and no veto from the council’s five permanent members and could be considered as soon as Thursday. The U.S. says the move accompanies Syria’s expected joining of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, but key U.S. sanctions enacted by Congress in 2019 would still require congressional action to be revoked.
02:42, 06.11.2025Politics
U.S. proposes lifting U.N. sanctions on Syrian president before Washington trip
The United States has formally asked the U.N. Security Council to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and several senior members of his government ahead of a planned White House visit, according to a draft resolution obtained by The Associated Press.
The draft resolution, circulated on Wednesday, proposes that the 15-member council remove a set of measures targeting al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab. A person familiar with the plan, speaking on the condition of anonymity because details have not been finalized, said the resolution could be put to a vote as soon as Thursday.
Vote required: For the measure to pass the council, it would need at least nine affirmative votes and no vetoes from any of the five permanent members — China, Russia, Britain, France and the United States.
U.S. officials are reportedly trying to complete the move before President Donald Trump hosts al-Sharaa in Washington on Monday. If the visit proceeds as planned, it would be the first time a Syrian head of state has been welcomed to Washington since the country’s independence in 1946.
Coalition, sanctions and remaining hurdles
While al-Sharaa is in Washington, U.S. officials say Syria is expected to formally join the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, a partnership of roughly 80 countries aimed at preventing the extremist group's resurgence.
The move is presented by U.S. officials as part of a broader effort to rebuild relations between Washington and Damascus following significant developments in Syria’s leadership and political landscape. Since earlier this year the administration has taken steps to lift or waive a broad set of economic and diplomatic restrictions on Syria.
However, the most stringent penalties affecting Syria were enacted by the U.S. Congress in 2019 and cannot be permanently revoked without congressional action. That means even if the U.N. removes Security Council measures, some U.S. sanctions would remain in place unless Congress votes to lift them.
Humanitarian context
Ramesh Rajasingham, the U.N. humanitarian office's chief coordinator, told the Security Council in May that 90% of Syrians live in poverty, 16.5 million people need protection and humanitarian assistance, and nearly 3 million face acute food insecurity.
Syria's conflict, which began in early 2011, is estimated to have killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions, causing widespread destruction. Reconstruction needs are expected to run into tens of billions of dollars.
Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed to this report.