Sharaa, the heavily-bearded former Islamist insurgent who was once the target of U.S. counterterrorism operations, has taken another step towards full acceptance under President Donald Trump. Trump announced during a trip to Saudi Arabia that he plans to lift sanctions on Syria after the fall of the Iranian-backed administration of former President Bashar al-Assad.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesady became the first American president to meet with his Syrian counterpart in a quarter of century, holding informal talks with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh.

After over a decade of war and isolation, Syria enters a new era. US President Donald Trump lifts sanctions and meets insurgent-turned-president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, signaling a major geopolitical shift.