Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa has received an invitation to visit the United States later this month, a diplomatic source told AFP on Thursday.
Official Invitation
The visit came months after holding talks with US President Donald Trump in November, according to Arab News.
“President Sharaa has received an invitation to visit the United States on June 14,” the source said on condition of anonymity. However, the source did not confirm whether the Syrian leader would accept the invitation.
Interestingly, the invitation follows recent remarks by Trump indicating that Syria could potentially assume a greater role in dealing with the Iran-backed Hezbollah issue in Lebanon.
“I’d like to see a more surgical attack on Hezbollah. I think it should be more surgical. And we can help them with that, or we can recommend Syria,” he said.
Diplomatic Breakthrough
In November, Trump held a landmark meeting with Al-Sharaa at the White House, marking an unprecedented diplomatic move in Syria’s history.
Al-Sharaa, who toppled Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in December 2024 and ended a brutal chapter of Syria’s history, has become the first Syrian leader to visit the US since the country’s independence in 1946.
Since the overthrow of Bashar Al-Assad, the two countries have steadily improved their bilateral relations, particularly with the ease of US sanctions on Syria as well as Damascus’s move to join the international coalition against the Daesh militant group.
Last week, Trump told NBC that Al-Sharaa had expressed his willingness to assist in efforts against Hezbollah, which has been involved in the conflict between Iran and Israel since March 2.
“Syria’s doing a very good job of cleaning up their act. They have a very good leader. They have a leader that’s really done a good job in a short period of time. And he would love to help.”
War in Iran
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, targeting its leadership and triggering a new conflict in the Middle East.
Iran has been responding with a retaliatory counterattack in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, while launching barrages of missiles and drones toward Israel.
The conflict has spread across the Middle East, leaving thousands dead and triggering unprecedented disruptions to energy supplies especially after the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Lebanon Involvement
Lebanon was drawn into the conflict on March 2 when Hezbollah launched a series of attacks to support its ally, Tehran.
As a result, Israel has launched an extensive military campaign that has since killed more than 3000 people.
A diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington has been urging Damascus since the onset of the Israel-Hezbollah war to take action against the Iran-backed group in Lebanon, which shares a long and porous border with Syria.
Syrian Lebanese Relations
Syria, a longtime ally of Hezbollah under the Assad family, maintained a deep and strong presence in Lebanon for decades after intervening in its 1975-1990 civil war. In 2005, Syrian troops withdrew from the Lebanese territories. This historical fact makes any new military involvement politically sensitive.
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Trump Touts Imminent Deal as Iran, Israel Halt Strikes
