Farmane-Ilahi

NEW YORK (Web Desk) The United States (US) has presented Syria with a list of conditions for partial sanctions relief, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

The demands were conveyed during a meeting between US Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Levant and Syria, Natasha Franceschi, and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani on the sidelines of a Syria donor conference in Brussels on March 18.

Key conditions outlined by Washington include the destruction of Syria's remaining chemical weapons, enhanced cooperation on counter-terrorism, and ensuring that foreign fighters are not appointed to senior roles within Syria's government.

Washington also requested the appointment of a liaison to aid in the search for Austin Tice, a US journalist missing in Syria for over a decade.

In return for meeting these demands, the US has promised some sanctions relief, which could include a two-year extension of existing exemptions and a statement supporting Syria’s territorial integrity. The specifics of the timeline for fulfilling the conditions were not provided.

The US has placed stringent sanctions on Syria for nearly 14 years, targeting key individuals, businesses, and sectors of the economy in response to the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Despite some temporary relaxations, Syria remains in urgent need of relief to address its collapsed economy.