The United Nations Security Council today adopted a draft resolution to remove Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab from the sanctions list related to ISIS and al-Qaeda.
The resolution, drafted by the United States, received 14 votes in favor, with China abstaining. The U.S. envoy to the UN, Mike Waltz, welcomed the resolution’s adoption.
“With the adoption of this text, the Council is sending a strong political signal recognizing that Syria is entering a new era,” Waltz said. “Removing President al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Khattab from the sanctions list should offer greater opportunity to the Syrian people,” he added.
China’s envoy, Fu Cong, stated that the resolution “failed to address the legitimate concerns of all parties.”
“The drafters did not fully take into account the views of all members and forced the Council to act despite major differences among members, in an attempt to serve their own political agenda,” Fu said, referring to the United States.
“China stands ready to cooperate with the international community to play a constructive role in achieving security, stability, and development in Syria as soon as possible,” he added.
Russia’s UN envoy, Vassily Nebenzia, emphasized that the resolution “reaffirms the Security Council’s commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic.”
“We expect these fundamental principles to be respected by all members of the international community, including Israel, which continues to act according to its own rules and maintain occupation of parts of sovereign Syrian territory, including the Golan Heights,” Nebenzia said.
Bashar al-Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly a quarter of a century, fled to Russia on December 8, 2024, marking the end of the decades-long rule of the Baath Party, which began in 1963.
Al-Sharaa, who led the forces opposing the Assad regime, was declared transitional president at the end of January. He has pledged to rebuild the country and restore stability.
Following the fall of Assad’s regime, Israel expanded its occupation of the Golan Heights, seizing the demilitarized border zone — an action that violated the 1974 Disengagement Agreement with Syria.
