For the first time in a quarter-century, a U.S. president has met with a Syrian leader, marking a significant diplomatic moment.
During his second term’s inaugural overseas visit, President Donald Trump held a brief meeting in Riyadh on Wednesday with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the interim Syrian president who took over following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December.
Sharaa, once a rebel commander with Islamist leanings, now heads a transitional government in Damascus.
According to a White House source, the discussion took place just ahead of a broader summit with Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia.
The last similar meeting occurred in 2000 when then-President Bill Clinton met Hafez al-Assad, Bashar’s father, in Geneva during unsuccessful peace negotiations with Israel.
In a significant policy move on Tuesday, Trump lifted the long-standing sanctions imposed on Syria during Assad’s reign.
The sanctions rollback reportedly came at the urging of Turkey and Saudi Arabia, key regional players backing the new Syrian administration.
“This is Syria’s moment to rise,” Trump said. “Lifting sanctions gives the people a chance to rebuild and succeed.”
Celebrations erupted in Damascus, particularly in Umayyad Square, where citizens welcomed the announcement with optimism.
English teacher Huda Qassar, 33, expressed hope that the changes would ease economic hardships and encourage displaced people to return.
Syria’s foreign ministry described the development as a “critical milestone” for national stability and recovery.
However, Washington has not yet signalled any intention to delist Syria from the state sponsors of terrorism — a label applied since 1979 that continues to block most foreign investment.