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United Nations Security Council members gave the green light to a United States-backed measure removing restrictions on President Ahmed al-Sharaa of Syria prior to his presidential meeting the coming week.

He became transitional president after leading a revolutionary movement that drove out the former president in the final month of 2024, ending over a decade of civil war.

Washington's ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said the UN had sent "an emphatic political statement" that acknowledged Syria entered "a different period" following Assad's ouster.

Previously, he faced global penalties while commanding the Muslim faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), previously associated with al-Qaeda. The US removed the organization from the catalog of foreign terror groups during July.

More Penalties Removed

The UN also removed restrictions targeting Syria's Interior Minister Minister Anas Khattab.

The nation's top diplomat expressed satisfaction with the elimination of the penalties, stating online: "The nation shows its gratitude to the United States and allied countries for backing of Syria and its people."

Upcoming White House Meeting

Sharaa's White House visit this coming Monday comes after American leader Donald Trump stated the Middle Eastern president demonstrated "substantial headway" towards bringing peace to the war-torn country.

The pair met for the first time during May, during Trump's Riyadh trip while traveling through the Middle East.

Following that encounter, the US president described him as a "resilient figure" possessing a "powerful background".

His Islamist group HTS served as al-Qaeda's branch inside the country prior to breaking relations in 2016.

Previous US Visit

The upcoming meeting will not be the president's debut journey to America this year. During September, he made history as the pioneering Middle Eastern head of state to speak before the UN General Assembly at UN headquarters after approximately sixty years.

During his address, he stated the country had been "regaining its deserved status within the global community" while showing support with the people of Gaza.

• President Sharaa presents to international community initially after nearly six decades
• Trump's meeting with President Sharaa, once considered impossible, boosts Syrians' hopes