Al-Sharaa calls for sanctions relief during meeting with Rubio at UNGA
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The new Syrian interim president's diplomatic push in New York centers on lifting economic sanctions and finalizing the "Israel"-Syria security deal.
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Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa meets with Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel, on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters, Monday, Sept 22, 2025 (Pool Photo via AP)
Syrian Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa renewed his call for the United States to formally lift remaining sanctions during a historic visit to New York for the UN General Assembly, marking the first time a Syrian leader has attended the gathering in nearly six decades.
Al-Sharaa met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday to discuss US priorities in Syria, including ongoing "counterterrorism efforts" and the search for missing Americans.
The new interim president emphasized that sanctions imposed under the 2019 Caesar Syria Civil Protection Act are no longer justified and are increasingly viewed by Syrians as targeting them directly rather than the previous Assad government.
"We have a big mission to build the economy," al-Sharaa said at a summit on the sidelines of the General Assembly. "Syria has a diverse workforce. They love to work, it's in its genes. So don't be worried, just lift the sanctions and you will see the results."
While US President Donald Trump ordered most sanctions lifted following their meeting in Riyadh in May and announced "historic" sanctions relief earlier this year, the Caesar Act remains in effect. Members of Congress are currently debating whether to repeal the legislation, with some lawmakers from both parties seeking to include its repeal as an amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act expected to pass by December.
Syria-'Israel' relations under discussion
A key focus of the Rubio-Sharaa meeting was the importance of "Israel"-Syria relations for regional security. Al-Sharaa indicated that talks with "Israel" have reached an advanced stage, with the regime leader expressing hope for an outcome that preserves Syria's sovereignty while addressing Israeli security concerns.
Two days prior to the UN meetings, al-Sharaa suggested an agreement with "Israel" could be signed "in the coming days" through US mediation, describing it as "similar to the 1974 agreement."
When asked about potentially joining the "Abraham Accords" to normalize relations with "Israel", al-Sharaa said Syrian anger over "Israel's" occupation of Syrian territory would influence the country's position. "Israel must withdraw from Syrian land, and security concerns can be addressed in talks," he stated, questioning whether "Israel's" concerns are "truly about security or about expansionist designs."
From al-Qaeda to the UN
The meetings represent a dramatic shift for al-Sharaa, a former Jabhat al-Nusra (al-Nusra Front) leader who once had a $10 million US government bounty on his head. During his New York visit, he was interviewed by retired General David Petraeus, who commanded US forces during the US invasion of Iraq when the two were on opposing sides.
"It's good that we were once in the battlefield zone and have now moved to another theater, that of dialogue," al-Sharaa told Petraeus during the interview.
On September 12, he met with US Central Command Commander Bradley Cooper and US Presidential Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, along with several Syrian ministers and senior officials.
According to the Syrian presidency, those discussions covered "prospects for cooperation in political and military fields" to serve common interests and reinforce regional security and stability.
