The United States has submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council seeking to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al‑Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab ahead of Sharaa’s scheduled visit to the White House on Monday.The draft document, seen by Reuters, calls for removing UN sanctions imposed on the two officials, but it is unclear when a vote will be held. A resolution requires at least nine votes in favour and no veto by any of the five permanent members, the US, UK, France, Russia, and China.
Syria’s political landscape was changed in December after the removal of former President Bashar al‑Assad by a lightning offensive led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al‑Sham (HTS), a former affiliate of al‑Qaeda.
UN sanctions monitors have reported no active ties this year between al-Qaeda and HTS, bolstering the US argument for allowing sanction relief.Sharaa has already been granted travel exemptions by a UN sanctions committee this year, meaning that even if the draft resolution is not adopted before the White House meeting, his visit is still likely to proceed.
