President Trump met with Syria's interim President on Wednesday, a day after lifting sanctions and marking a major policy shift towards peace and rebuilding relations.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Wednesday hailed US President Donald Trump’s “bold” decision to lift long-standing sanctions on Syria, declaring it a turning point for the country’s future. “Today marks the beginning of serious work and the launch of modern Syria’s journey,” al-Sharaa said in a televised address to the nation.

Iran "must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars and permanently and verifiably cease pursuit of nuclear weapons," Trump said in remarks at a meeting of leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council hosted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Saudi capital. "They cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

P resident Donald Trump announced on Tuesday, May 13, that he plans to end the U.S. sanctions imposed on Syria, which have been in place for over 45 years. Announcing the news on the first day of his Middle East tour, during the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum, Trump said he would be lifting sanctions “in order to give them [Syria] greatness.”

The new Syrian president courted the White House with multiple offers, including a proposal to build a Trump Tower in his country’s capital, in an effort to diffuse tensions between the U.S. and Damascus.

A short statement released by the office of President Ahmad al-Sharaa did not give a reason why he will not attend the summit but an invitation by the Iraqi government last month trigged sharp political divisions in Iraq. The summit is scheduled to be held in Baghdad on Saturday.