May 31 (Reuters) – Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump in which they discussed supporting the Syrian economy and the latest regional developments, the Syrian presidency said on Sunday.
• During the call, Sharaa said lifting the remaining U.S. sanctions on Syria was essential to reviving the economy and attracting investments, according to the statement.
• The United States says some sanctions remain in place despite dismantling most of its Syria sanctions regime and repealing the Caesar Act, which imposed sweeping measures on individuals, companies and institutions linked to former President Bashar al-Assad.
• Washington says sanctions will continue to target Assad and his associates, as well as alleged human rights abusers, traffickers in the addictive stimulant captagon, and other actors it says are destabilising the region.
• The U.S. has also said it is reviewing Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, which carries restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance, defence exports and certain financial transactions.
• Lifting the remaining sanctions is widely seen as key to the success of Syria’s new government. Several Saudi firms are planning billion-dollar investments in the country as part of Riyadh’s efforts to support its recovery, while other Gulf states have also pledged financial assistance.
(Reporting by Harem Maher and Muhammad Al Gebaly; Editing by Edmund Klamann)
