U.S. and Syrian Foreign Ministers Discuss Bilateral and Regional Issues in Phone Call, Including Counterterrorism

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a telephone conversation with his Syrian counterpart, Assad al-Shaibani, to discuss a range of bilateral and regional topics, with particular focus on recent U.S. actions related to sanctions on Syria.

According to a statement issued by the U.S. Department of State, the two officials discussed what the statement described as “historic measures” taken by President Donald Trump to terminate the U.S. sanctions program related to Syria, as well as the ongoing review of the national emergency designation concerning the country.

Secretary Rubio indicated that the U.S. administration is currently considering additional steps to review domestic terrorism designations, along with relevant United Nations resolutions on Syria—potentially paving the way for broader political and economic engagement between the two countries in the future.

Rubio emphasized that U.S. sanctions would remain in place against entities involved in undermining security. He stressed the distinction between the Syrian state as a sovereign institution and individuals or groups deemed responsible for destabilization efforts, referring specifically to former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and several of his affiliates.

The U.S. Secretary of State also expressed hope that the recent steps could mark the beginning of a new phase in U.S.-Syrian relations, one that supports the interests of the Syrian people.

The statement noted that the two ministers also addressed several additional issues of mutual concern, including counterterrorism efforts, the presence of Iranian forces in Syria, Syrian-Israeli relations, and the complete dismantling of any remaining elements of Syria’s former chemical weapons program.

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