On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he would lift the sanctions imposed on Syria following a request from Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, marking a significant moment in Syria’s efforts to recover from years of devastating conflict. This decision is seen as a major boost for interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as he works to stabilize the war-torn country.

Trump made the unexpected declaration during his regional tour, which began in Saudi Arabia. According to the White House, Trump is set to meet with Sharaa during his visit, signaling a potential face-to-face discussion with a former al-Qaeda commander who spent five years in a U.S. prison in Iraq. Sources close to the Syrian presidency confirmed that Sharaa would be traveling to Riyadh for the meeting.

The U.S. had previously imposed stringent sanctions on Syria during Bashar al-Assad’s regime, and those sanctions remained in place after Assad was ousted in December, following over 13 years of brutal war.

The announcement is a significant shift in U.S. policy, with Saudi Arabia being one of the leading advocates for easing or lifting the sanctions on Syria. Trump stated that the sanctions, which had served their purpose, were now being lifted to allow Syria a chance at recovery.

“I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” Trump told an investment forum in Riyadh. “It’s their time to shine. We’re taking them all off,” he added. “Good luck Syria, show us something very special.”

Sharaa, who led Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) for years, was affiliated with al-Qaeda until severing ties with the global terrorist network in 2016. HTS was formally dissolved in January, but the group remains designated as a terrorist organization by both the U.S. and the United Nations.

Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Syria could signal a new phase of international relations in the Middle East, with Syria’s future potentially shifting toward greater stability and cooperation.