Syrian ministers urge US to lift sanctions during historic visit to Qatar

Ministers from Syria’s transitional government made a historic visit to Doha, where they called on the United States to lift its sanctions on Damascus. The visit marked the first of its kind since the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad.

Qatar’s foreign ministry confirmed that the country’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, met with Syria’s interim foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, defense minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, and head of intelligence Anas Khattab. During the discussions, Sheikh Mohammed reiterated Qatar’s stance on supporting Syria’s unity, sovereignty, and independence.

Shaibani arrived in Qatar on Sunday morning for meetings with Qatari officials, marking a significant diplomatic engagement. Despite Qatar’s past refusal to restore ties with Assad’s government, which was toppled in 2011 after a brief but impactful rebel advance, Shaibani renewed calls for the U.S. to lift sanctions, calling them a “barrier and an obstacle to the rapid recovery” of Syria. He told local media, “We renewed our demand for the United States of America to lift these sanctions.”

At the end of December, Qatar also voiced similar concerns, calling for a swift removal of the sanctions. However, the international community remains cautious, not rushing to lift economic restrictions on Syria as they await further developments under the new government.

Shaibani emphasized that Syria would foster positive relations with the region, distinguishing the transitional government’s approach from that of the Assad regime. Qatari Minister of State Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi confirmed that the new Syrian government had laid out a “clear roadmap for Syria in the near future” regarding leadership and political administration.

In the years following the 2011 conflict, in which Qatar was a major backer of the armed rebellion against Assad, Qatar reopened its embassy in Damascus, becoming the second country after Turkey to do so. Shaibani, in a statement on X, also confirmed plans to visit the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, seeking to foster “stability, security, economic recovery, and build distinguished partnerships” throughout the region.