EU Ministers to Discuss Easing Syria Sanctions on January 27

European Union foreign ministers will meet later this month in January to discuss the easing of sanctions imposed on Syria. According to the Associated Press, the EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stated on Sunday that this action is contingent upon the implementation of an "inclusive" political transition by the new rulers of Syria following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad last month. Western countries have urged the new Islamist rulers of Syria to ensure that the future government is inclusive and representative of various Syrian factions. Kallas made these remarks during a meeting with senior European and Middle Eastern diplomats in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the future of Syria was the main topic. Saudi Arabia has called for the lifting of sanctions. The continuation of sanctions could threaten the improvement of conditions in Syria, which has suffered nearly 14 years of civil war that has claimed around 500,000 lives and displaced half of the country's pre-war population of 23 million. European countries and the United States have been cautious regarding the Islamist roots of the rebels who ousted Assad and now lead the interim government. The former rebels have promised to hold a national dialogue meeting with various groups from across Syria to agree on a new political roadmap that would lead to a new constitution and elections. Kallas announced that the EU foreign ministers will discuss the issue of easing Syria sanctions in a meeting scheduled for January 27 in Brussels. The Islamic Republic of Iran, which had a significant presence, including military involvement in Syria during Assad's rule, evacuated its embassy in Damascus after Assad fled to Russia. Meanwhile, according to a report by the American newspaper Washington Post, the Biden administration has decided to keep the new Islamist rulers of Syria on the terrorist list until the end of his presidency. This decision, confirmed by three knowledgeable American officials, means that important decisions regarding Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and its leader, Ahmad al-Shar'a (al-Julani), will be left to the next administration under President Donald Trump. The designation of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government poses a significant obstacle to Syria's economic recovery. The Washington Post quoted a senior American official stating, "Actions matter more than words," and reminded that Washington is concerned about the presence of foreign fighters and other jihadists in positions within the Syrian Ministry of Defense. Donald Trump, the elected president of the United States, has appointed staunch critics of extremist Islamism to senior White House positions, including Sebastian Gorka as senior counter-terrorism advisor and Michael Waltz as national security advisor. Biden emphasized the need for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in discussions with Netanyahu. Riyadh hosted regional and European diplomats regarding Syria, and there were warnings from the U.S. and Europe to the Syrian government about the appointment of foreign jihadists. An admission from a senior IRGC official regarding the defeat in Syria: "We lost, and we lost badly."