Donald Trump says he will raise sanctions against Syria

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Donald Trump announced that he would raise the US sanctions on Syria during his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where Arab countries are pushing Washington to support the efforts of the emerging government to achieve stability in the nation that was delivered to the war.

A White House official said the US President will also meet the new President of Syria, Ahmed Al-SharaaIn Riyadh on Wednesday, he said that he “agreed to say hello” to the Syrian leader.

Trump said that after speaking with the Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he will order the arrest of the sanctions against Syria In order to give them a chance of greatness. “

He also indicated that he will begin to normalize relations with Damascus. “They had their share of the farce of war, killing many years,” he said.

“For this reason, my administration has already taken the first steps towards restoring normal relations between the United States and Syria for the first time.”

Move this step to soften Washington’s position Towards Syria after the Islamic movement led the rebel attack, which led to dictator Bashar al -Assad and ended his family’s rule for more than 50 years on the Arab state.

Shara will strengthen as he fights to unify his administration’s control over the fragmented nation.

After Trump’s announcement, many moved to the streets of the capital, Damascus, as they were planting their cars at the celebration.

The Syrians and the Arab countries urged Western powers to lift all sanctions during the Assad era over the country and warned that reviving the bankrupt economy is the most challenging task facing the SR government.

The Syrian leader and the movement of Taher Al -Sham, which dominates the new government and security forces, are being appointed terrorists by the United States because of the previous affiliations to al -Qaeda.

But Shara gave up his relations with al -Qaeda in 2016 and pledged that his government would be a comprehensive administration that respects all sects and minorities in Syria.

The United Kingdom and the European Union filed some sanctions, while the United States issued exemptions to allow trade in humanitarian goods and allow Qatar to pay public sector salaries in Syria.

If Washington raises all its penalties, it paves the way for others to follow up.

But this step would anger Israel, which deployed forces in Syria, lands in the south in the country and repeatedly fired air strikes against Syrian military facilities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly described the SR government as a “jihadist system”.

But Trump said: “There is a new government that we hope will succeed.”

“I say good luck, Syria. I showed us something special,” he added.

Trump’s visit to the Middle East, where the region endured the most sustainable and deadly conflicts for decades in the aftermath of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 on Israel and the retaliation of the Israeli army in Gaza.

Arab leaders urge Washington to exercise more pressure on Israel to end its 19 -month war in Gaza.

Trump made some comments about the conflict while deepening the humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged tape, and Israel is preparing to expand its attack against Hamas. But he blamed the armed group in the massacre.

“The people of Gaza deserve a much better future, but that will happen and cannot happen as long as their leaders choose to kidnap, target and torture innocent men, women and children for political goals.”

However, Arab leaders hope that Trump will reach an agreement with Iran to resolve the confrontation that lasted for years with the United States on the broad nuclear program to reducing the danger of American and Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic, which raises a new conflict in the Middle East.

Trump condemned Iran in his speech, saying that its leaders “focus on stealing their people’s wealth to finance terrorism and bloodshed abroad.”

But he repeated that he wanted a deal with Tehran after starting talks on the nuclear crisis. “I am here today not only to condemn the previous options for Iran’s leaders, but to present a new and better way towards a more optimistic future.”

He added: “If the leadership of Iran refuses this branch of the olive and continues to attack their neighbors, we will have no choice but to get the maximum of great pressure and pay Iranian oil exports to scratch as it did before.”

The nuclear crisis broke out with Iran after Trump withdrew in 2018 from the Tehran agreement signed with the Obama administration and other global forces.

At that time, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supported Trump’s decision, but since then it has followed a period of Iran with Iran and wants to avoid the conflict that could leak over its borders.

Additional reports by Raya Galabi in Beirut and Sarah Dadoush in Damascus