Syria will join the international coalition to combat the Islamic State group, marking a shift in US foreign policy in the Middle East, a senior Trump administration official has confirmed.
The announcement came as President Donald Trump met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House - the first such visit from a Syrian leader in the country's history.
In an interview with Special Report on Fox News, al-Sharaa said the visit was part of a new era in which the country would cooperate with the US.
Trump expressed support for al-Sharaa, who until recently was designated a terrorist by the US government.
Syria will now be the 90th country to join the global coalition, aimed at eliminating remaining elements of the Islamic State and stopping the flow of foreign militants to the region.
Following the meeting, a senior administration official confirmed that the US Treasury Department, along with the departments of state and commerce, will announce new measures to lift economic restrictions on Syria and provide compliance clarity for investors.
As part of these measures, the administration is issuing an 180-day suspension of the Caesar Act, which had sanctioned the former Syrian government since 2019.
Trump stated, We want to see Syria become a country that's very successful. Al-Sharaa's visit caps a remarkable rebranding for the former jihadist, who was previously associated with Al-Qaeda and led an armed Islamist group previously considered a terrorist organization by the US. Trump's administration also previously lifted sanctions to facilitate Syria's path toward stability and peace, indicating potential normalization of relations not only with the US but with other nations as well.
