ISTANBUL 

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Friday praised the UN Security Council’s decision to lift the sanctions imposed on him and Interior Minister Anas Khattab, calling it a “step in the right direction” after 14 member states voted in favor of the move.

The US-drafted Thursday resolution passed with 14 votes in favor and one abstention by China, marking a rare consensus at the council on easing restrictions tied to Syria’s leadership.

“This is the first time in a long while that the Security Council has agreed on something; thankfully, it was something related to Syria,” Sharaa said in an interview with Asharq News TV on the sidelines of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil.

“It’s unreasonable for a head of state to remain sanctioned while maintaining extensive relations with all these countries involved,” he added.

He said Syria had succeeded in building consensus among nations that rarely agree on global issues, hailing the move as “a positive sign that could be the beginning of resolving many outstanding problems in the world.”

The president credited several states for supporting the diplomatic efforts that led to the sanctions being lifted on Syria, including Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan.

Sharaa said he hoped to discuss the future of US-Syria relations with President Donald Trump during his visit to the White House next Monday.

Sharaa and his delegation are in Belem, Brazil to attend the heads of state segment of COP30. This marks the first time a Syrian president has participated in a UN climate conference since the process began in 1995.