Historic: Al-Sharaa Becomes First Syrian President to Visit White House in 80 Years After Delisting from Terrorism Watchlist

The Head of Syria's Transitional Phase, Ahmed al-Sharaa, arrived in the United States late Saturday for a historic official visit, one day after Washington removed his name from its terrorism watchlist. This marks the first visit of a Syrian President to the White House since the country's independence in 1946.

Visit Agenda and Political Transformation

• Meeting with Trump: Al-Sharaa is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. Their first encounter took place in Riyadh last May.

• Anti-ISIS Coalition: The US Envoy to Syria stated that Al-Sharaa will sign an agreement to join the US-led International Coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS).

• Syria-Israel Negotiations: Trump and Al-Sharaa will discuss direct negotiations between Syria and Israel, aiming for a security agreement under which Israel would withdraw from southern Syrian territories and cease its airstrikes.

• US Military Base: Washington plans to establish a military base near Damascus to coordinate humanitarian aid and monitor Syria-Israel developments, possibly tied to the security agreement.

• Reconstruction Funding: Al-Sharaa is expected to seek US funding for Syria's reconstruction, which the World Bank estimated would cost over $216 billion.

Context of Delisting from the Blacklist

• Sanctions Lifted: The visit follows the US State Department's decision on Friday to remove Al-Sharaa from the terrorism blacklist, after he had been the subject of a $10 million reward offer.

• US Rationale: The State Department spokesman stated the delisting acknowledges the Sharaa government's compliance with US demands, such as finding missing Americans and disposing of remaining chemical weapons, adding that the move will enhance "regional security and stability."

• Sharaa's Transformation: Michael Hanna of the International Crisis Group called the White House visit a "moment of tremendous symbolic importance," representing Al-Sharaa's "stunning transformation from hardline militant leader to global statesman."

Preemptive Operations Against ISIS

• Timing: Al-Sharaa's visit coincided with Syria's announcement of extensive preemptive operations against ISIS cells across several governorates, resulting in 61 raids, the arrest of 71 individuals, and the seizure of explosives.