On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he has lifted the sanctions previously imposed by his country on Syria.
Trump made the announcement in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he was attending an investment forum.
He stated: āIām going to order the lifting of sanctions on Syria, as a sign of giving them a chance for greatness. Now is the time for reconciliation. All sanctions are off. Good luck, Syria ā show us something remarkable.ā
Trump said the decision came after discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Both leaders had been strong advocates for lifting the sanctions against Syria.
Following the lifting of these sanctions, President Trump is expected to meet with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday.
Sharaa, a former leader in the Al-Qaeda terrorist group, took power last year after ousting Bashar al-Assad.
The meeting between Trump and Sharaa is scheduled to take place in Riyadh.
The U.S. President stated that the sanctions had achieved their goals, but that it was now time for Syria, a Middle Eastern nation, to move forward.
He added that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is working on the remaining details this week and will meet with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani.
Shibani said Syria is ready to build a relationship with the U.S. based on “mutual respect, trust, and shared interests.”
The sanctions had previously barred Syria from participating in the international financial system, making foreign investment nearly impossible.
Trump noted that shortly after lifting the sanctions, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia agreed to a $600 billion investment deal.
