Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa arrives in US as Washington lifts terrorism blacklist in historic diplomatic shift

Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in the United States on Saturday in what observers describe as a historic and unprecedented visit, coming just one day after Washington officially removed his name from its terrorism blacklist.

Sharaa, whose rebel forces ended Bashar al-Assad’s decades-long rule last year, is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. Analysts note that this is the first official visit by any Syrian head of state to the United States since Syria gained independence in 1946.

The interim Syrian leader previously met Trump in May during the US president’s regional tour in Riyadh.

Earlier this month, US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack suggested that Sharaa was expected to sign an agreement bringing Syria into the Washington-led international coalition against the Islamic State group. Meanwhile, diplomatic sources in Damascus told AFP that the United States plans to establish a military base near the Syrian capital to coordinate humanitarian operations and monitor developments along the Syria-Israel frontier.

The State Department’s decision to delist Sharaa came as no surprise to analysts. According to spokesman Tommy Pigott, Syria’s new leadership has taken “clear and measurable steps” demanded by Washington, including cooperation in locating missing Americans and efforts to ensure the elimination of any remaining chemical weapons.

“These actions recognize the progress demonstrated by the Syrian leadership after the departure of Bashar al-Assad and more than five decades of repression under the Assad regime,” Pigott said. He added that the delisting is aimed at supporting a “stable, inclusive, Syrian-led political process.”

Back in Syria, the interior ministry announced the arrest of 71 individuals during 61 raids conducted as part of what it described as a proactive campaign targeting Islamic State sleeper cells. The operations were carried out in Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, Homs, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and Damascus.

Shortly after landing in the US, Sharaa posted a video on social media showing him playing basketball with CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper and Kevin Lambert, who heads the international anti-IS mission in Iraq. The caption read: “work hard, play harder.”

Sharaa’s trip to Washington follows his landmark appearance at the United Nations General Assembly in September, where he became the first Syrian president in decades to address the world body. The visit marked his first entry into the United States.

Just this week, the US led a UN Security Council vote to lift international sanctions against him. Sharaa’s former group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which once operated under Al-Qaeda’s umbrella, was removed from the US terror list only in July.

Since assuming power, Syria’s new leadership has worked to distance itself from its militant past and present a more moderate, statesmanlike image to both Syrian citizens and the international community.

“The White House visit is another milestone in Sharaa’s transformation from battlefield commander to global statesman,” said Michael Hanna, US program director at the International Crisis Group. He added that Washington’s outreach underscores its commitment to supporting Syria’s new political direction.

Sharaa is expected to seek significant financial support as Syria struggles with the immense task of reconstruction. The World Bank estimated in October that rebuilding Syria will require at least $216 billion.