Al Sharaa: Syria ‘Not a Threat,’ ‘Including Israel,’ in Letter to Trump Administration

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Shara’ (also known as al-Julani) wrote to U.S. President Donald Trump that Syria is not a threat to Washington or “even Israel,” in a letter shared with Reuters, published Sunday.

In the letter, al-Sharaa, who desperately wants the U.S. to liff economic sanctions on his Islamist-led regime, states that “Syria has complied with most of the conditions for the lifting of sanctions by the United States, and is seeking mutual understandings on issues that are still pending.”

The letter further emphasizes that Syria would not pose “a threat to any side, including Israel.” On the matter of foreign fighters within Syria’s armed forces, the letter notes that “broader consultation is required, but the state has suspended issuing ranks,” according to Reuters.

Following the letter’s release, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Washington is “specifically [working] to create trust and a working relationship with the Syrian regime,” but stressed that an evaluation of the current situation is ongoing. The Secretary also pointed out that from the U.S. standpoint, there is not yet a recognized central authority acting as Syria’s government, and that any steps toward normalization will depend on a review of the governing bodies’ actions.