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Syria’s new transitional government has called for the United States to lift sanctions previously imposed on Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Some shit you should know before you read: In early December, Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell after an 11-day rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a coalition of Islamist factions that seized control of Damascus and other major cities. HTS, originally an spin-off of al-Qaeda in Syria known as Jabhat al-Nusra, has since rebranded itself as a nationalist and reformist movement under the leadership of Abu Mohammad al-Jolani. Jolani, once a senior figure in al-Qaeda’s operations in the region, has sought to distance himself and HTS from their jihadist origins, adopting a more pragmatic and politically palatable approach to governance. He now portrays himself as a unifier and statesman. Despite these efforts, many in the international community remain wary of HTS’s past affiliations, though Jolani continues to leverage his narrative of transformation to gain regional and global legitimacy.
What’s going on now: During his first foreign visit to Qatar, Syria’s interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani called for the United States to lift the sanctions imposed on the country, describing them as a “barrier and an obstacle to the rapid recovery and development of the Syrian people.” He added, “We reiterate our calls for the United States to lift these sanctions, which have now become against the Syrian people rather than what they previously were: imposed sanctions on the al-Assad regime.”
The US sanctions, initially aimed at isolating Bashar al-Assad’s regime for its violent suppression of peaceful protests and alleged war crimes, have included measures under the Caesar Act, targeting individuals, entities, and sectors tied to Assad’s government. These sanctions freeze assets, restrict trade, and penalize any international business dealings with Syria, aiming to curtail Assad’s ability to finance military operations and maintain control.
This all comes as Syria has significant untapped natural resources that could play a pivotal role in its economic recovery and reconstruction. The country possesses substantial reserves of oil and natural gas, particularly concentrated in the northeastern regions, which historically accounted for a large portion of national revenue before the conflict disrupted production. Syria is also one of the world’s leading producers of phosphates, a valuable resource for agricultural and industrial use. Beyond its mineral wealth, Syria’s fertile lands, especially in the Euphrates River Valley, support the cultivation of crops like wheat, olives, and cotton, which were once critical for both domestic consumption and export.
