President Ahmad al-Sharaa affirmed that his visit to the White House and meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump marked a new beginning for strategic relations with the United States, noting that Syria no longer poses a threat to Washington but has become a geopolitical ally.
In an interview with Fox News Monday, President al-Sharaa said: “For the past sixty years, Syria has been isolated from the rest of the world, with relations severed between Damascus and Washington. This is the first time a Syrian president has visited the White House since Syria’s founding in the 1940s.”
He added: “After the fall of the former regime, Syria entered a new era, particularly in its relationship with the U.S. During my meeting with Trump, we discussed both the present and the future, including investment opportunities in Syria. The goal is for Syria to no longer be seen as a security threat but as a geopolitical ally and a country where the U.S. can invest significantly, especially in gas extraction.”
“We also discussed lifting sanctions during the meeting with Trump, and there was a United Nations Security Council decision to lift sanctions imposed on me and several others.” al-Sharaa continued.
On Syria’s role in the international coalition against ISIS, al-Sharaa said: “We have fought many battles against ISIS over the past ten years and endured great suffering, losing a significant number of men. While there are reasons for the U.S. military presence in Syria, this presence must now be coordinated with the Syrian government. We need to discuss these issues and reach an agreement regarding ISIS.”
Regarding Syria’s potential accession to the Abraham Accords with Israel, al-Sharaa explained that Syria’s situation differs from that of other signatories, as it shares a border with Israel, which has occupied the Golan Heights since 1967. He said: “Perhaps the Trump administration can help us reach a security agreement with Israel or return to the 1974 accord.”
In response to a question about how the Syrian government intends to punish criminals, including Bashar al-Assad, al-Sharaa noted that Russia holds a different view regarding the extradition of wanted individuals to Syria. However, he stressed that justice must take its course, pointing to the formation of a transitional justice committee to ensure accountability for all perpetrators, including Assad.
On the fate of American journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared in Syria in 2012, al-Sharaa said: “There are more than 250,000 missing persons in Syria due to the war, and we do not know where they are. I met Tice’s mother, a remarkable woman, who also met my own mother. My mother endured a similar ordeal, believing me dead for seven years, yet she held onto hope despite everyone around her saying I was likely gone. I asked my mother to share her story with Tice’s mother, to show how deeply I understand her pain. She is a strong woman, and I will do everything possible to provide sufficient information about her son, for her, for all American citizens, and for everyone missing over the past years.”
MHD Ibrahim
