US, UAE discussed lifting Assad sanctions in exchange for break with Iran

US, UAE discussed lifting Assad sanctions in exchange for break with Iran

Reuters-Dec2nd2024

By Maya Gebeily, Parisa Hafezi and Alexander Cornwell

Summary

Discussions between U.S. and UAE took place before rebel advance in Syria
Major U.S. sanctions against Syria expire on Dec. 20 unless renewed
‘Carrot-and-stick’ approach aims to fracture Assad alliance with Iran

BEIRUT/GENEVA/DUBAI, Dec 2 (Reuters) – The U.S. and the United Arab Emirates have discussed with each other the possibility of lifting sanctions on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if he peels himself away from Iran and cuts off weapons routes to Lebanon’s Hezbollah, five people familiar with the matter said.

The conversations intensified in recent months, the sources said, driven by the possible expiry on Dec. 20 of sweeping U.S. sanctions on Syria and by Israel’s campaign against Tehran’s regional network, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and Iranian assets in Syria.

The discussions took place before anti-Assad rebels swept into Aleppo last week in their biggest offensive in Syria for years.

According to the sources, the new rebel advance is a signal of precisely the sort of weakness in Assad’s alliance with Iran that the Emirati and U.S. initiative aims to exploit. But if Assad embraces Iranian help for a counter-offensive, that could also complicate efforts to drive a wedge between them, the sources said.

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi visited Syria on Sunday in a show of support for Assad, and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke to Assad by phone about latest developments at the weekend.

For this story, Reuters spoke to two U.S. sources, four Syrian and Lebanese interlocutors and two foreign diplomats who said the U.S. and UAE see a window to drive a wedge between Assad and Iran, which helped him recapture swathes of his country during the civil war that erupted in 2011.

Lebanese media have reported that Israel had suggested lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria. But the UAE initiative with the U.S. has not previously been reported. All of the sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the back-room diplomacy.

Syria’s government and the White House did not respond to questions from Reuters. The UAE referred Reuters to its statement on bin Zayed’s call with Assad.