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ARAB AND WORLD

Tue 13 May 2025 9:38 am - Jerusalem Time

Trump hints at the possibility of easing sanctions on Syria, and Damascus welcomes it.

US President Donald Trump hinted on Monday at the possibility of easing sanctions on Syria to enable it to achieve a "new beginning," a move welcomed by the transitional authorities in Damascus.


"We have to make a decision about sanctions, which we might ease," Trump said at the White House. "We might lift them on Syria because we want to give it a fresh start."


He added that he discussed the matter with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country maintains close ties with the new government.


Damascus welcomed the statements made by the US President, who is beginning a Gulf tour on Tuesday that includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.


The Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Damascus welcomes Trump's statements "regarding the possibility of lifting sanctions imposed on Syria, and considers them an encouraging step toward ending the suffering of the Syrian people."


The statement continued, "Although these sanctions were previously imposed on the former dictatorial Assad regime and contributed to its downfall, today they directly target the Syrian people and hinder the path to recovery and reconstruction."


Ankara, Damascus, and Amman call on Israel to stop its attacks on Syrian territory.

In a related development, Türkiye, Syria, and Jordan called on Israel on Monday to halt its attacks on Syrian territory and withdraw from additional territory it invaded following the ouster of ousted regime leader Bashar al-Assad late last year.


Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with his Jordanian and Syrian counterparts, Ayman Safadi and Asaad al-Sheibani, to discuss the threats facing Damascus and renew calls for the lifting of Western sanctions.


"Israeli expansion poses a serious threat to Syria's security, stability, and future," Fidan said at a press conference.


He added, "This must end, and we agree on that. Syria must be supported to prevent terrorist organizations from establishing a presence in this region."


For his part, Al-Shaibani said, "Israel continues its attacks on our lands and escalates the situation, resulting in casualties. We demand that it abide by international resolutions and withdraw from the territories it occupies in the south," stressing that "the unity of Syrian territory is not negotiable."


He added, "We look forward to the support of the international community and neighboring countries, and their standing by us to pressure Israel to stop its ongoing attacks on our lands."


"We are working to intensify cooperation with Türkiye and Jordan to confront cross-border threats, and we will not allow foreign-backed militias to destabilize our country," he said.


For his part, Safadi denounced "Israel's attempt to interfere in Syrian affairs and sow discord, strife, and division in Syria," considering that "this is something we stand up to, reject, and explain to the world." He added, "Israeli attacks on Syria must stop, as they will only bring destruction and devastation."

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Trump hints at the possibility of easing sanctions on Syria, and Damascus welcomes it.

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