President Donald Trump announced the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria in a speech in Riyadh, saying the move is meant to give the war-torn country’s new government “a chance at greatness.”
INDEPENDENT
President Donald Trump declared an end to U.S. sanctions on Syria during a speech in Riyadh, aiming to restore relations with Damascus after over a decade of diplomatic freeze. Speaking at a Saudi-American forum, Trump said Syria’s new leadership deserves a chance to rebuild after years of civil war. “It’s their time to shine. We’re taking them all off,” he said.
Trump also revealed Secretary of State Marco Rubio would meet with Syria’s foreign minister in Turkey. He acknowledged the controversial background of Syria’s interim leader Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, but said the focus is on future stability.
In the same speech, Trump offered Iran a “new path” if it abandons its nuclear ambitions. “We want them to be a wonderful, safe, great country,” he said. He warned, however, that if Iran refuses, the U.S. will reinstate maximum pressure. Talks toward a new nuclear deal, echoing the scrapped JCPOA, are reportedly underway, but Trump insisted: “This offer will not last forever.”