Ahead of Trump meeting, Washington paves road for lifting sanctions on Al-Sharaa

The United States has proposed a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council that would lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.

The draft resolution, seen by Reuters on Tuesday, also calls for lifting sanctions on Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab.

It was not immediately clear when it might be put to a vote. Its adoption requires at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes from Russia, China, the United States, France, or Britain.

Washington has been urging the 15-member Security Council for months to ease sanctions imposed on Syria.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly known as the Nusra Front, was the official branch of al-Qaeda in Syria until it severed ties with the group in 2016. Since May 2014, the group has been on the UN Security Council's sanctions list for al-Qaeda and ISIS.

A number of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham members are subject to UN sanctions, including travel bans, asset freezes, and arms embargoes, including its leader, al-Sharaa, and Khattab.

Trump's "Efforts for Peace"

A United Nations Security Council sanctions committee has routinely granted al-Shara exemptions for travel this year, so even if the resolution drafted by the United States is not adopted before Monday, the Syrian president will likely be able to visit the White House.

Trump announced a major shift in U.S. policy last May when he said he would lift sanctions imposed by Washington on Syria.

According to a UN report seen by Reuters last July, UN sanctions monitors have not seen any "active links" this year between al-Qaeda and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

Al-Sharaa would be the first Syrian president to make an official visit to the United States. White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said during a press conference that it "falls within the framework of (Trump's) efforts for peace in the world."

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani explained on Sunday that al-Shara's talks with Trump would also address "the fight against (the Islamic State) ISIS" and reconstruction in Syria after the war that lasted more than 14 years.