On Thursday, September 18, 2025, Washington D.C. witnessed a significant diplomatic event: Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani touched down in the U.S. capital for talks aimed at lifting the last vestiges of American sanctions on Syria. This marked the first visit by a Syrian foreign minister to Washington in over 25 years, a fact confirmed by multiple news outlets including Axios, Reuters, and The Times of Israel. The high-profile visit unfolded amid a flurry of diplomatic activity, with U.S. officials mediating a potential security agreement between Syria and Israel, and with world leaders preparing to gather for the United Nations General Assembly in New York the following week.
Foreign Minister Shibani’s trip was not just a symbolic thaw in relations; it was a calculated move to lobby for the permanent lifting of U.S. sanctions, most notably those imposed under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act. The Caesar Act, which became law in June 2020, was designed to punish the Assad regime and anyone conducting business with it—particularly in sectors like energy, construction, and finance—after years of brutal conflict and human rights abuses. The Trump administration previously issued temporary waivers for these sanctions, but only Congress has the authority to permanently rescind them.
According to Axios, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was among the first to confirm the details of the visit. Graham stated, “I expect to meet Shaibani on Thursday with several other Senators to discuss the permanent lifting of the Caesar sanctions.” He added a crucial caveat: his support for such a move was contingent on Syria joining the coalition against ISIS and making concrete steps toward a new security agreement with Israel. “I would support the cancelling of those sanctions if Syria officially moved toward a new security deal with Israel and joined a coalition against the Islamic State extremist group,” Graham told Axios.
The timing of Shibani’s visit was no accident. Just a day before his arrival, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa told reporters that negotiations with Israel for a security pact could yield results “in the coming days.” This echoed reports from Reuters that Washington was pressuring Syria to finalize a deal with Israel before the UN General Assembly convened. However, President Sharaa pushed back on suggestions of U.S. pressure, emphasizing that the American role was that of a mediator rather than an enforcer.
The stakes of these negotiations are high. Since December 8, 2024, when Sharaa’s forces ousted former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad after 13 years of civil war, Israel has carried out more than 1,000 airstrikes and over 400 ground incursions into Syrian territory, according to Reuters. Damascus is seeking not only a halt to these attacks but also the withdrawal of Israeli troops who have advanced into southern Syria. For Syria, a security pact with Israel represents the possibility of greater stability and a pathway to rejoining the international community.
The U.S. pivot toward Damascus has not gone unnoticed. As reported by Hindustan Times, some senior U.S. diplomats focused on Syria were abruptly let go in recent months, signaling a shift in Washington’s approach. The Biden administration, following on the heels of President Donald Trump’s earlier moves, has sought to integrate longtime Syrian Kurdish allies with President Sharaa’s central administration. Trump himself announced in May 2025 that he would move to lift some key U.S. sanctions after meeting with Sharaa, a decision that set the stage for the current diplomatic flurry.
For many observers, the rapid changes in Syria’s leadership and foreign policy are nothing short of remarkable. The U.S. imposed crippling sanctions on Syria in 2011 after Assad’s government, backed by Iran and Russia, cracked down on protests that spiraled into a nearly 14-year civil war. That war ended abruptly in December 2024, when Sharaa’s forces swept into Damascus and toppled Assad. Since then, the new government has moved quickly to reestablish ties with regional and global powers, with Shibani’s visit to Washington serving as a high-water mark in those efforts.
On Friday, September 19, 2025, Shibani was scheduled to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to multiple reports. The U.S. State Department, however, did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the visit. The discussions with Rubio were expected to center on the mechanics and conditions for lifting the remaining sanctions, as well as broader regional security issues.
The Caesar Act remains a sticking point. Named after a Syrian military defector who exposed evidence of torture and abuse under Assad, the law is seen by many in Congress as a vital tool for holding the Syrian government accountable. Yet, with the Assad regime now out of power and the new leadership signaling a willingness to cooperate on counterterrorism and regional security, some lawmakers are open to reconsidering its necessity. “Only Congress can vote to cancel them,” Graham emphasized, underscoring the political complexities involved.
For Syria, the benefits of sanctions relief are clear. The country’s economy has been devastated by years of conflict, international isolation, and punitive measures targeting everything from banking to construction. Lifting the sanctions would unlock much-needed foreign investment and aid, potentially accelerating reconstruction and stabilizing the government’s hold on power. For the U.S. and its allies, the calculus is more complicated. They must weigh the risks of rewarding a government that only recently emerged from a long and bloody conflict against the potential benefits of a more stable, cooperative Syria.
Regional dynamics also play a role. The U.S. has been working to bring its Syrian Kurdish allies into the fold of the new Damascus administration, a delicate process given the complex ethnic and political landscape of the country. At the same time, any agreement with Israel will have far-reaching implications for the broader Middle East, affecting everything from Iran’s influence to the prospects for peace in neighboring Lebanon and Jordan.
Despite the optimism surrounding Shibani’s visit, there are no guarantees of immediate breakthroughs. Both sides face significant domestic pressures and lingering distrust. Still, the very fact that a Syrian foreign minister is walking the halls of Capitol Hill and meeting with senior American officials is a testament to how much has changed in just a few short months.
As the world watches and waits for the outcome of these delicate negotiations, one thing is clear: the diplomatic chessboard in the Middle East is being reset, and the moves made in Washington this week could reverberate for years to come.