U.S. downgrades status of Syrian mission to UN, signals non-recognition
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Media sources told the Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar on Sunday that the United States has formally downgraded the legal status of the Syrian mission in New York, reclassifying it as a delegation of a government not recognized by the U.S.
According to the report, the U.S. conveyed its decision via a memorandum delivered through the United Nations. The memo changes the mission’s designation from that of a permanent mission of a U.N. member state to a mission representing a government unrecognized by the U.S.
As part of the decision, the U.S. State Department also revoked the G1 visas previously granted to members of the Syrian delegation. G1 visas are reserved for diplomats representing governments recognized by the host country. These were replaced with G3 visas, typically issued to individuals working with international organizations whose governments are not recognized by the U.S.
A diplomatic cable reportedly stated that on the evening of Thursday, April 3, 2025, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations delivered Memorandum No. 41-2025 — on instructions from the U.S. State Department—that the legal status of the Syrian mission and its members had been changed to that of a delegation representing an unrecognized government.
The cable further explained that the decision to issue G3 visas will now fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), pending several procedural steps related to the mission’s reclassification.
The memorandum reportedly includes a clear declaration that the U.S. does not recognize the current Syrian transitional government. The sources noted that this move may prompt similar decisions from other nations aligned with Washington’s stance on Syria.