DAMASCUS – Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani arrived in Washington on September 18, marking the first official visit by a senior Syrian official to the United States in over 25 years. This visit symbolizes a significant shift in U.S. policy as Washington pursues a pro-Damascus approach, including lifting sanctions and facilitating mediation between Syria’s new Islamist-led government and Israel.
Al-Shibani is scheduled to meet with U.S. lawmakers, including discussions on removing remaining U.S. sanctions on Syria, according to Senator Lindsey Graham. The diplomatic engagement follows a strategic reorientation by the U.S., which recently saw the departure of several senior diplomats related to Syria affairs amid efforts to integrate Syrian Kurdish allies with President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s central administration.
The visit also comes against the backdrop of ongoing U.S.-brokered negotiations between Syria and Israel, with President al-Sharaa anticipating a security pact to be finalized soon. Since the fall of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad in a swift takeover by al-Sharaa’s forces in December, Washington has gradually normalized ties, removing many sanctions imposed during Assad’s rule.
President Donald Trump announced the intention to lift sanctions after meeting al-Sharaa in May 2025, and a June executive order followed, lifting many economic restrictions. Al-Shibani’s Washington visit underscores a new chapter aiming for stability and renewed cooperation in the region, with al-Sharaa expected to attend the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York.