U.S. presents conditions for easing sanctions on Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – A senior U.S. official revealed on Thursday that the United States has presented eight key demands to Syria’s Transitional President, Ahmad al-Sharaa, as conditions for lifting sanctions.
These demands include allowing U.S. counterterrorism operations in Syria and addressing Israeli security concerns.
According to The Washington Post, a high-ranking official from the Trump administration stated that Washington remains highly cautious in its dealings with Syria until al-Sharaa demonstrates he has successfully purged extremists from within his government.
The official emphasized that al-Sharaa must also prove his ability to unify Syria’s diverse minority groups, highlighting the U.S. objective of preventing the return of Iranian influence and the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria.
In February, the U.S. reportedly handed a list of eight steps to Syrian official al-Shibani, outlining the measures required in exchange for the partial easing of sanctions.
The conditions include granting the U.S. permission to conduct counterterrorism operations on Syrian soil and publicly banning all militia and political activities linked to Palestinian movements.
The U.S. also demanded deporting members of these Palestinian groups to ease Israeli concerns, and supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led mission to eliminate ISIS.
The official noted that Washington intends to scale down its military presence in Syria but emphasized that any change in policy depends on tangible actions from Damascus. He said they are looking for deeds, not words.