Syria's Sharaa holds phone call with Trump, Syrian presidency says

May 31, 2026 3:05 PM EDT

FILE PHOTO: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends the Ministry of Awqaf conference titled "Unity of Islamic Discourse" at the Conference Palace in Damascus, Syria, February 16, 2026. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/ File Photo

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)



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