For the first time in a quarter-century, a senior Syrian official has arrived in Washington, marking a dramatic shift in the diplomatic landscape between Syria and the United States. On Thursday, September 18, 2025, Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani landed in the U.S. capital, embarking on what the Syrian Foreign Ministry described as an "official historic visit"—a move that signals both nations' willingness to engage after years of estrangement and sanctions.
Al-Shibani’s visit is nothing short of historic. According to the Associated Press, it is the first official trip by a Damascus envoy to the U.S. in 25 years, coming as Syria’s new government, led by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, attempts to emerge from the shadow of a devastating civil war and the long rule of Bashar al-Assad. The timing is no coincidence: just months ago, U.S. President Donald Trump met al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia, a meeting widely seen as the catalyst for Syria’s renewed push to end its international isolation.
The agenda for this landmark trip is packed. Al-Shibani is set to meet with key U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and hold discussions on Capitol Hill. According to Axios, the focus will be on the permanent lifting of remaining U.S. sanctions—particularly those imposed under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, a law passed in 2019 in response to atrocities committed during Syria’s civil war. The Act has been a major sticking point in U.S.-Syrian relations, and its potential repeal is now firmly on the table.
Al-Shibani’s delegation, which includes Syria’s director for American affairs Qutaiba Idlbi, wasted no time getting to work. On Thursday, they met with officials at the U.S. Treasury Department, including envoy Tom Barrack and acting assistant secretary Anna Morris. The Treasury Department released a statement emphasizing its goal: "The department is working with Syria to responsibly and safely reconnect its economy to the global financial system while combating the financing of terrorism."
The foreign minister also sat down with Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to discuss what it would take for Syria to regain full access to the international economy. Risch didn’t mince words about the stakes, saying, "Syria has an opportunity to build a stable democracy, something the region desperately needs right now, and I am hopeful they are on the right track." Al-Shibani’s meetings extended to Representatives Abraham Hamadeh and Joe Wilson, with Wilson calling on Congress to "fully repeal the Caesar Act"—a sentiment that reflects growing bipartisan interest in rethinking U.S. policy toward Syria.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a longtime voice on Middle East affairs, told Axios he and other senators would meet with al-Shibani to discuss the lifting of U.S. sanctions, including the Caesar Act. Notably, Graham has indicated he would support the cancellation of these sanctions if Syria makes progress on a security agreement with Israel and joins the U.S.-led coalition formed in 2014 to fight ISIS. This conditional approach is echoed in a new amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), submitted on Monday by Graham and Senator Chris Van Hollen. The amendment requires periodic reports on Syria’s compliance with a set of conditions, including combating ISIS, ensuring minority representation, maintaining peaceful regional relations, ceasing support for terrorist organizations, removing foreign fighters, and investigating human rights abuses since Assad’s ouster in December 2024.
The thaw in relations is not just about Washington and Damascus. Al-Shibani is actively engaged in negotiations with Israel, hoping to reach a security agreement along their tense border. Just before arriving in Washington, he was in London for U.S.-mediated talks with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, as reported by Axios. These talks build on a rare direct meeting last month in Paris, also brokered by the U.S., as part of a broader diplomatic push to stabilize the region.
Recent developments on the ground have added urgency to these diplomatic efforts. Agence France-Presse reported that Syria has begun withdrawing its heavy weaponry from the south, moving it up to six miles outside Damascus. This step comes amid Israeli demands for a demilitarized zone in southern Syria, where Israeli troops currently hold nine posts seized after Assad’s fall. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that discussions are ongoing about the possibility of disarming southern Syria, and President al-Sharaa has stated that negotiations to return Israeli forces to their pre-December 2024 positions are underway.
The shifting political winds in Syria have also affected the U.S. diplomatic presence in the region. Reuters reported on Thursday that several U.S. diplomats at the de facto U.S. mission to Syria in Turkey have been dismissed from their posts, a move attributed to Washington’s evolving policy and its efforts to integrate Syrian Kurdish allies with the central government in Damascus.
Al-Shibani is no stranger to U.S. soil. Earlier this year, he attended the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings in Washington and held talks at the United Nations in New York. But this visit is different: it’s official, it’s public, and it’s happening at a moment when both sides seem eager to turn the page on a long and bitter chapter.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry has been keen to frame the visit as a sign of "Syria’s openness to direct dialogue with the United States." In a statement to the Syrian state news agency SANA, the ministry said the trip would address "issues of mutual interest in the political, security and economic spheres." The hope in Damascus is clear: that this visit will pave the way for Syria’s return to the global stage, both diplomatically and economically.
Meanwhile, President Ahmad al-Sharaa is preparing for his own historic moment. He is expected to fly to New York next week to attend the U.N. General Assembly, making him the first Syrian head of state to do so in decades. This move, as reported by AP and France 24, underscores Syria’s determination to re-engage with the international community after years of isolation.
There’s no question that the road ahead is fraught with challenges. The U.S. and its allies remain wary of Syria’s intentions, especially regarding human rights, regional security, and the fate of minority groups. The lifting of sanctions, particularly the Caesar Act, is contingent on real progress in these areas. But for now, the mere fact that Syria’s foreign minister is walking the halls of power in Washington is a sign that, after years of war and upheaval, the region may be inching toward a new era of diplomacy—one where dialogue, not distance, defines the relationship between Damascus and the West.
