Donald Trump met with Syria's new president Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Riyadh on the day after announcing that the United States would lift sanctions on the country and considering resuming relations.
The move marks a huge softening of Washington's stance on Syria, leading the rebel offensive in Sarah's Islamic movement to overthrow the dictator Bashar al-Assad and ending his family's more than 50 years of dynasty rule over the Arab states.
"We are currently exploring normal relations with the new Syrian government," Trump said at a gathering with the Gulf leaders of the Saudi capital Gulf on Wednesday.
Trump said his decision was first announced at the Saudi-US Investment Forum the night before, following consultations with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to give Syrians a "new start."
Trump added that Syria’s path forward “is not easy anyway”, but he strongly believes that eliminating sanctions will give them a better chance of success, “it is my honor to do so.”
The Saudi crown prince said he welcomed Trump's decision to lift sanctions, adding that "will help alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people and open up new pages for growth and prosperity".
Washington's move will promote Sharaa's struggle to consolidate government control over the scattered states.
After Trump announced the news, many Syrians took to the streets of the capital Damascus to honk the horns in the corners of their cars celebrating.
Syrians and Arab countries have urged Western powers to lift the Assad-era sanctions on the country, warning that restoring a bankrupt economy is the most challenging task facing the Sala transitional government.
Syrian leader and his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham movement dominated the new government and security forces, and the United States was designated as a terrorist due to its dealings with Al Qaeda.
But Sala abandoned her ties with Al Qaeda in 2016 and promised that his government would be an inclusive government that respects all sects and ethnic minorities in Syria.
The UK and the EU lifted some sanctions, while the U.S. has issued exemptions to allow humanitarian goods to trade and allow Qatar to pay public sector salaries in Syria.
If Washington lifts all sanctions, it will pave the way for the path others follow.
The move may have angered Israel, which deployed forces in Syria, occupied the territory in the south of the country and repeatedly launched air strikes against Syrian military facilities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly described the Sharaa government as a "jihad regime."
But, Trump said: "There is a new administration that is expected to succeed."
He added: "I said good luck to you, Syria. Show us something special."
Trump's visit to the Middle East is due to a period of ongoing and deadly conflict in decades following Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and Israeli military and the Israeli military's retaliatory offensive in Gaza.
Arab leaders have been urging Washington to put more pressure on Israel to end the 19-month war in Gaza.
Other reports by Raya Jalabi in Beirut and Sarah Dadouch in Damascus