Syrian President Welcomes The Revocation Of Sanctions By The UN Security Council Against Him

JAKARTA - Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Friday praised the UN Security Council's decision to lift sanctions imposed on him and Interior Minister Anas Khattab, calling it a "step in the right direction" after 14 member states voted in favor of the move.

The US draft resolution was passed on Thursday with 14 votes in favor, while China chose abstain.

"This is the first time that the Security Council has agreed on something for so long; fortunately, it is related to Syria," President al-Sharaa said in an interview with Asharq News TV on the sidelines of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil.

"It does not make sense for a head of state to remain subject to temporary sanctions while maintaining a broad relationship with all countries involved," he added.

Furthermore, President al-Sharaa said Syria had succeeded in building consensus among countries that rarely agreed on global issues, and praised the move as "a positive sign that could be the beginning of solving many unresolved problems in the world."

He praised several countries for their support for diplomatic efforts that led to the lifting of sanctions against Syria, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan.

President al-Sharaa said he hopes to discuss the future of US-Syria relations with President Donald Trump during his visit to the White House next Monday.