U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has arrived in Turkey to engage with Turkish and U.S. officials regarding the situation in Syria. His visit aims to assess conditions that could lead to sanctions relief for Syria.
“I have traveled to Turkey this week for the express purpose of assessing the situation in Syria,” said Senator Graham. He expressed a willingness to support sanctions relief under certain conditions but emphasized, “we must remember that the current leadership in Syria achieved its position through force of arms, not through the will of its people.”
Graham noted guidance from the Trump Administration on conditions required for sanctions relief and highlighted Congress’s role, having supported Syrian sanctions included in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.
“Syria is also listed as a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law,” he stated. For this designation to be lifted, a report detailing changed circumstances must be submitted to Congress. “That report has not been received,” he added, stressing Congress’s need for information before deciding on any change in designation.
Graham also mentioned his communication with Israel due to their concerns about Syria’s situation. “During this trip, I will be discussing this matter with our allies in Turkey and will maintain extremely close coordination with our allies in Israel,” he said.
He acknowledged the complexity of waiving congressionally-passed sanctions and emphasized coordination with allies like Israel due to security concerns stemming from past attacks launched from Syrian locations.
“This newly formed government in Syria may be a good investment and could be the pathway to unifying Syria,” Graham suggested, though he cautioned that much remains to be learned before making such determinations.
“A stable Syria would be a game changer for the region,” he concluded, but stressed that their progress requires careful evaluation given historical challenges.
