The United Nations Security Council is poised for a consequential vote that could reshape the future of Syrian-American relations and reverberate across the Middle East. On Thursday, November 6, 2025, the Council will decide whether to lift terrorism-related sanctions against Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and his interior minister, Anas Hasan Khattab—a move championed by the United States just days before al-Sharaa’s historic visit to Washington for a meeting with President Donald Trump.
According to the Associated Press, the U.S.-drafted resolution seeks to remove sanctions imposed in 2014 that have targeted Syrian officials linked to Daesh and al-Qaeda. These punitive measures have included travel bans, asset freezes, and arms embargoes, all part of a broader international effort to isolate individuals deemed complicit in extremist violence during Syria’s long and bloody civil war.
The timing of the vote is no accident. U.S. officials, as reported by multiple agencies, are pushing for a swift decision ahead of al-Sharaa’s scheduled arrival at the White House on Monday, November 10. If it goes forward as planned, this will be the first visit by a Syrian president to Washington since Syria gained independence in 1946. The symbolism is hard to overstate: after decades of estrangement and animosity, the two governments are now openly courting a new chapter of engagement.
Diplomatic sources cited by ILKHA and the Associated Press reveal that the United States submitted the draft resolution earlier this week, making several last-minute revisions. Notably, Washington altered the definition of “foreign fighters” in the text and rejected a Chinese-backed amendment that would have allowed for a one-year renewable exemption for certain sanctioned individuals. China had argued for explicit references to foreign fighters and temporary suspensions of sanctions, but the U.S. insisted on moving forward without these additions, urging the Council not to delay the vote.
For the resolution to pass, it needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes from any of the Security Council’s five permanent members: China, Russia, Britain, France, and the United States itself. With high diplomatic stakes, the outcome remains uncertain, but the U.S. has signaled determination to proceed regardless of the hurdles. Even if the resolution fails, diplomatic sources say that al-Sharaa’s visit is unlikely to be derailed, as the UN committee overseeing sanctions has already granted him multiple travel exemptions this year, smoothing the way for his journey to Washington.
Why this sudden thaw after years of frosty relations? The answer lies in the seismic shifts that have rocked Syria and the region over the past year. In December 2024, Bashar Assad’s 50-year family rule ended in a lightning offensive led by al-Sharaa, bringing nearly 14 years of civil war to a close. Al-Sharaa, a former leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham—a group previously designated a terrorist organization by the U.S.—has since sought to restore ties with both Arab neighbors and Western powers. Initially, many in Washington and Europe eyed him with suspicion due to his past connections to al-Qaida-linked militants. But as the dust settled and al-Sharaa consolidated power, attitudes began to shift, especially as he demonstrated a willingness to break with Syria’s pariah status and pursue regional integration.
President Trump’s administration has seized on this opening. In May 2025, during the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh, Trump announced his intention to lift sanctions on Syria. The very next day, he and al-Sharaa held their first in-person meeting—the first direct encounter between U.S. and Syrian leaders in a quarter-century. Trump followed up by ordering the removal or waiver of many longstanding U.S. sanctions, though the most stringent measures, imposed by Congress in 2019, still require a congressional vote for permanent repeal.
The upcoming White House visit is expected to yield more than just photo ops. According to the Associated Press and other outlets, Syria is set to join the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, a partnership of about 80 countries dedicated to preventing a resurgence of the extremist group. This alignment marks a dramatic reversal from years past, when Syria’s government was often accused of enabling or tolerating jihadist movements for its own ends. Now, with the civil war officially over and the Assad era consigned to history, the prospect of Syria joining the anti-IS coalition signals a potential realignment of interests and alliances in the region.
But the road ahead is fraught with challenges. Syria remains a country devastated by conflict: since the outbreak of war in 2011, nearly half a million people have died and millions more have been displaced, many becoming refugees abroad. The UN’s humanitarian chief, Ramesh Rajasingham, told the Security Council in May that 90% of Syrians now live in poverty, with 16.5 million people needing protection and humanitarian assistance—including nearly 3 million facing acute food insecurity. The country’s infrastructure is in ruins, and experts estimate that tens of billions of dollars will be needed for reconstruction.
Some U.S. lawmakers and advocacy groups remain wary of moving too quickly to rehabilitate Syria’s leadership. They point to al-Sharaa’s past militant ties and the risk that normalization could reward bad actors or sideline justice for victims of the war. The most severe sanctions, imposed by Congress in 2019, are still in place and can only be lifted by legislative action—a process that is likely to be contentious and politically charged. Supporters of the administration’s approach, however, argue that engagement is the best way to encourage reform and stability, and that the alternative—continued isolation—has failed to bring peace or relief to ordinary Syrians.
Meanwhile, regional dynamics are shifting rapidly. Arab states that once shunned Damascus are now reaching out, eager to bring Syria back into the diplomatic fold. The UN vote is seen by many observers as a bellwether for broader normalization efforts, both in the Arab world and beyond. As one Middle East analyst put it, “The outcome of this vote will set the tone for what comes next—not just for Syria, but for the entire region.”
As the world watches the Security Council’s deliberations and prepares for next week’s landmark summit in Washington, the stakes could hardly be higher. The decisions made now will shape not only the trajectory of U.S.–Syrian relations, but also the future of a nation struggling to emerge from the shadow of war.
For millions of Syrians still facing hardship and uncertainty, the hope is that renewed diplomacy might finally bring the stability and support needed to rebuild their shattered lives.
