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United Nations Security Council members gave the green light to a United States-backed measure to lift sanctions on President Ahmed al-Sharaa of Syria ahead of his presidential meeting next week.

He was appointed transitional president following his leadership in a revolutionary movement that ousted the former president in the final month of 2024, bringing to a close 13 years of domestic strife.

The US representative Mike Waltz at the United Nations declared the global body transmitted "a strong political signal" that affirmed Syria's transition into "a different period" after Assad's removal.

He had been subject to global penalties in his role as head of the religious organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), previously associated with al-Qaeda. Washington eliminated the organization from the catalog of foreign terror groups during July.

Additional Sanctions Relief

Additionally, the United Nations lifted penalties against the Syrian interior official the interior minister.

The nation's top diplomat expressed satisfaction with the elimination of these restrictions, posting on social media: "The nation shows its gratitude toward America and to friendly nations for backing of Syria and its people."

Forthcoming Presidential Visit

The Syrian leader's Washington trip at the start of the week occurs subsequent to President Trump stated the Middle Eastern president had made "good progress" towards bringing peace to the conflict-ravaged nation.

The two leaders convened for the first time during May, when Trump visited Riyadh while traveling through the Middle East.

Subsequent to that discussion, America's leader characterized the Syrian as a "strong individual" with a "very strong past".

His Islamist group HTS served as al-Qaeda's branch within Syria prior to breaking relations in 2016.

Previous US Visit

This week's diplomatic engagement is not his initial visit to the US in the current year. During September, he became the first Syrian leader to address the global assembly in New York in almost 60 years.

In his speech, he said Syria was "regaining its deserved status within the global community" and demonstrated unity toward Gaza's residents.

• President Sharaa speaks before global body initially following approximately sixty years
• The high-level talks with President Sharaa, once considered impossible, elevates national expectations