State Dept expected to meet with Syria’s foreign minister in NY

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani is scheduled to meet with senior US State Department officials in New York to seek a definitive roadmap for permanent sanctions relief amid ongoing economic distress due to years of war and sanctions. This meeting marks the first time US officials will engage with Shibani on US soil, following Syria’s response to US conditions for partial sanctions relief, which include disarming chemical weapons and excluding foreigners from governance. Damascus aims to establish a realistic timeline for relief, as previous exemptions have had limited impact on its economy.