US Lawmakers Visit Syria, Meet New President Amid Sanction Discussions

Two Republican U.S. Representatives, Cory Mills and Marlin Stutzman, made the first visit by American lawmakers to Syria since Bashar al-Assad was ousted by an Islamist-led coalition in December. The trip, organized by the Syrian American Alliance for Peace and Prosperity, included meetings with the new Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Foreign Affairs Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, and other government officials, as well as tours of war-damaged areas and discussions with religious and civil society leaders. Central topics of the visit included U.S. sanctions on Syria, the country's relationship with Iran, and prospects for Syria’s transition to a democratically elected society. The lawmakers emphasized the importance of open dialogue to assess Syria’s needs and to prevent the country from aligning with U.S. adversaries like Russia, China, or Iran. The visit comes as the U.S. begins withdrawing troops from Syria and the Syrian government pushes for the easing or lifting of international sanctions to support reconstruction. While the delegation was not officially sponsored by the U.S. government, it signals early congressional engagement with Syria’s new leadership as Washington evaluates its future policy.