Al-Shibani met US State Dep. officials in 1st post-Assad talks
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Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shibani will meet US State Department officials in New York, marking the first US-Syria high-level contact since al-Assad’s ousting and amid efforts to ease sanctions.
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Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani holds his country's flag during a ceremony to add it to the 100 flags flying in a row outside the United Nations headquarters, on April 25, 2025. (AP)
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani met with senior US State Department officials in New York on Tuesday, marking the first high-level dialogue between the US and Syria's new leadership since the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, two sources told Reuters.
The meeting coincides with al-Shibani's participation in United Nations (UN) sessions, where he symbolically raised Syria's renewed three-star flag.
Syria seeks easing of longstanding US sanctions
The Syrian interim government, led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, has been actively lobbying for the lifting of decades-old US sanctions, arguing they hinder national recovery and development. Recently, Syria submitted a formal response to eight conditions proposed by Washington for potential partial sanctions relief.
These US conditions include dismantling remaining chemical weapons stockpiles, barring foreign nationals from senior government roles, and cooperating in locating missing Americans, such as journalist Austin Tice.
Read more: Syria responds to US demands, says will not be threat to 'Israel'
US policy remains cautious amid Syria’s political transition
US officials have acknowledged the presence of Syrian interim representatives in New York, but US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce did not confirm any scheduled meetings. She reiterated that the US is not normalizing relations with Syria at this stage and emphasized that future policy decisions will depend on the actions of the interim government.
Sectarian clashes in southern Damascus
Amid these diplomatic developments, the Syrian capital Damascus is witnessing continued clashes between armed groups. At least 16 people, including seven fighters from the Druze community, were killed in violent sectarian clashes in the suburb of Jaramana, near Damascus, while clashes continue in Ashrafiyet Sahnaya. The overnight confrontations, reportedly triggered by the circulation of a blasphemous audio recording on social media, have been widely condemned by Druze religious leaders.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), based in Britain, said heavy clashes erupted after security forces and affiliated armed groups stormed areas of the predominantly Druze and Christian suburb. These latest events come in the wake of massacres last month targeting the Alawite community in Syria’s coastal region, the worst sectarian bloodshed since the collapse of the former al-Assad regime in December.
Read more: Jaramana death toll: At least 16 Syrians killed in sectarian clashes
