UN Reviews Syria Amid Sanctions Shift

The UN Security Council will hold its monthly briefing on Syria this Tuesday, chaired by Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis. UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and humanitarian affairs chief Ramesh Rajasingham will deliver the main updates, followed by closed consultations, CE Report quotes Athens-Macedonian

The meeting comes amid a significant diplomatic push by Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, including attempts to restore international ties. Notably, former HTS leader al-Sharaa is playing a central role despite the group's terrorist designation by the UN.

On May 13, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced the lifting of all U.S. sanctions on Syria after a summit with Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia. The move followed requests from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Trump outlined five conditions, including normalization with Israel, withdrawal of foreign militants, and accountability for ISIS detainees—topics expected to resurface during the Security Council session.

Further momentum came on May 20, when EU foreign ministers agreed to lift economic sanctions, conditional on reforms. Pedersen called the step a potential turning point that could unlock regional support and basic services.

Greece emphasized its conditional support for Syria, advocating for a political transition that includes respect for all ethnic and religious communities, adherence to international law, and no external interference.