Syria’s new foreign minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, has called for the lifting of international sanctions on his country in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera. Al-Shaibani outlined the goals and challenges of the new administration, which took power after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.
The aim of the sanctions was to support the Syrian people who were suffering under the repressive regime, but now that the regime has been dismantled, the purpose of the sanctions has become obsolete. Al-Shaibani argued that continuous enforcement of the sanctions has become meaningless and ineffective.
The US had designated a group led by al-Sharaa as a terrorist organization in 2018, which could make it difficult to lift sanctions. However, US officials have signaled their willingness to engage with Syria, including dropping the bounty on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader al-Sharaa.
One of the new administration’s priorities is to rebuild relations with the outside world and engage with everyone. Al-Shaibani plans to visit Saudi Arabia in the coming days, where he may make progress on Syria’s readmission to the Arab League.
The Syrian authorities have also faced concerns about violence against minorities, but al-Shaibani assured that the new administration is committed to treating everyone as Syrians, not as groups of minorities. He emphasized the need for international support and cooperation in addressing the challenges ahead, including increasing government salaries by 400 percent.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/1/ready-to-engage-syrias-foreign-minister-calls-for-lifting-of-sanctions