Washington rejects Damascus' overtures despite al-Sharaa's economic offers

The Damascus regime is employing various means to curry favor with the U.S. administration. According to a Reuters report, Ahmad al-Sharaa, the head of the Damascus authority, is seeking a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump during his regional tour.

The report indicates that al-Sharaa, in an attempt to reposition Syria on the regional and international map, is approaching Washington with a language of mutual interests, presenting a package of economic incentives and offers of cooperation.

Informed sources revealed that the Damascus authority proposed three main pillars to persuade the White House: allowing the construction of a Trump Tower in the heart of the Syrian capital, de-escalating tensions with Tel Aviv, and granting Washington preferential access to contracts for Syria’s energy resources. These efforts aim to alleviate the U.S. sanctions that have crippled the country’s economy for over a decade.

However, Reuters confirmed that the path to the White House is not as paved as Damascus hopes, particularly as U.S. officials view the steps taken by Damascus as insufficient.

In this context, Washington has raised its demands to more than 12 conditions, the most prominent of which is the removal of foreign fighters from key positions within the Damascus authority’s forces, according to Reuters.

Regarding the nature of the relationship between the United States and the Damascus authority, Dorothy Shea, the acting U.S. representative to the United Nations in New York, stated that the U.S. “continues to monitor the actions of the interim authorities.” She further noted that Washington “will determine its steps based on the pattern of behavior observed.”

Shea also called on the current Damascus authority to “move beyond its past,” adding, “For the sake of Syria’s future, we hope this leadership will reaffirm the aspirations of the Syrian people for a calm and stable country, enabling Syrians to finally live in peace with themselves and their neighbors.”

In a related context, U.S. State Department spokesperson Michael Mitchell affirmed that “the official U.S. policy toward Syria has not changed at this time.”

He emphasized that the United States “continues to assess the policies of the new Syrian government.”

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ANHA