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Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani conducted high-level meetings with U.S. Treasury and State Department officials on Thursday to discuss reconnecting Syria's economy to the global financial system while combating terror financing, marking the most significant diplomatic engagement between the two countries in decades.
The meetings, which included Syria's Director for Americas Affairs Qidlbi, represent the first official visit by a Syrian foreign minister to Washington in over 25 years.
The last such diplomatic mission occurred in 1999, when then-Foreign Minister Farouk Al-Sharaa engaged with U.S. officials regarding peace negotiations with Israel.
Al-Shaibani's visit centers on discussions about the permanent lifting of remaining U.S. sanctions on Syria, according to reports from the news website Axios. Senator Lindsey Graham confirmed that he and other Senate members held talks with al-Shaibani on Thursday to address the specific sanctions framework imposed under laws such as the Caesar Act and explore pathways for their permanent removal.
Al-Shaibani is also expected to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, further elevating the diplomatic significance of the visit. The meetings signal a potential shift in U.S.-Syria relations after years of limited official contact between the two governments, underscoring growing congressional interest in reassessing American policy toward Syria amid broader regional developments.
The diplomatic outreach comes as Syria seeks to rebuild its economy and reintegrate into international markets following years of conflict and economic isolation. The dual focus on economic reconnection and counterterrorism measures reflects ongoing U.S. concerns about regional security while acknowledging Syria's economic rehabilitation needs, potentially opening new channels for bilateral engagement on economic and security issues.
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