Trump expected to meet Syrian leader after announcing he will lift sanctions
US President Donald Trump has said he will lift sanctions on Syria, ahead of an expected meeting with its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Trump has agreed to "say hello" to Syria's interim president on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia as part of his tour of the Middle East, the White House said.
The announcement of the lifting of sanctions was met with elation in the Syrian capital of Damascus, where cheering, dancing and celebratory gunfire were heard.
The sanctions had previously blocked any foreign financing, including aid, from reaching Syria and were originally intended to put pressure on the dictatorship of now-ousted President Bashar al-Assad.
Trump said the policy change would give Syria "a chance at greatness", telling an investment forum in Saudi Arabia's Riyadh, "it's their time to shine."
Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani celebrated the decision as a "pivotal turning point for the country" in an interview.
ကိုးကား- BBC News