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Trump's Lifting of Syria Sanctions Solidifies Iran's Regional Defeat
(Al Majalla-UK) Amb. James Jeffrey - On 13 May, President Trump announced that he was lifting sanctions on Syria, and the next day met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh. Most importantly, the move has arguably blocked any realistic chance of Iran exploiting a weak, divided Syria to restore its "Shiite Crescent." The historic impact of this decision, following the series of defeats Iran and its proxies have suffered,, cannot be overstated. By reducing Iran's options in Syria, and presumably allowing the Israeli military to draw down on at least one front, Trump's decision could boost Israel's security as well as that of everyone else in the region. Meanwhile, the U.S. still has Hay'at Tahrir al Sham (HTS), al-Sharaa's organization, on the terrorism list, and Syria is still listed as a state sponsor of terrorism. Finally, the U.S. has not officially recognized the new al-Shaara government and a U.S. list of demands remains in discussion. These include security issues, resolving outstanding chemical and other weapons of mass destruction issues from the Assad regime, dealing with the Islamic State (IS), authorizing U.S. counter-terrorism military operations anywhere in Syria, and acting against a long list of terrorist and militant organizations, starting with the IRGC and Hizbullah, as well as various Palestinian groups. The writer served as U.S. Special Representative for Syria Engagement, Deputy National Security Advisor, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq and Turkey.