Flurry of diplomacy to ease Mideast tensions as Israel awaits Iran attack
Flurry of diplomacy to ease Mideast tensions as Israel awaits Iran attack/node/2563306/middle-east
Flurry of diplomacy to ease Mideast tensions as Israel awaits Iran attack
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Men burry bodies that were taken and later released by Israel during a mass funeral at a cemetery in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on August 5, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas militant group. (AFP)
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A person operates an earth moving machine to put sand over the bodies of unidentified Palestinians during their burial at a mass grave after the bodies were handed over by Israel, amid Israel-Hamas conflict, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip August 5, 2024. (REUTERS)
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A person buries the bodies of unidentified Palestinians at a mass grave after the bodies were handed over by Israel, amid Israel-Hamas conflict, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip August 5, 2024. (REUTERS)
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A mother is comforted by other women as she mourns after the recovery of the body of her child from the beneath the rubble of a collapsed building in the aftermath of Israeli bombardment in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip on May 14, 2024 amid the ongoing conflict in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
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A man pushes a bycicle along as he walks amid building rubble in the devastated area around Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital on April 3, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
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An aerial view shows mourners watching as medical personnel prepare the bodies of 47 Palestinians, that were taken and later released by Israel, during a mass funeral in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on March 7, 2024, amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
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Palestinians mourn after identifying corpses of relatives killed in overnight Israeli bombardment on the southern Gaza Strip at Al-Najjar hospital in Rafah on February 8, 2024. (AFP)
Flurry of diplomacy to ease Mideast tensions as Israel awaits Iran attack
Tehran said on Monday that “no one has the right to doubt Iran’s legal right to punish the Zionist regime” for Haniyeh’s killing
Israel has killed more than 39,623 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry
Updated 06 August 2024
AFP
JERUSALEM: Diplomatic pressure mounted Monday to avert an escalation between Iran and Israel following high-profile killings that have sent regional tensions soaring.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said late Sunday that his country was “determined to stand against” Iran and its allied armed groups “on all fronts.”
As its war against Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza nears the 11th month, Israel has been bracing for retaliation from the Tehran-aligned “Axis of Resistance” for the killing of two senior figures.
Palestinian armed group Hamas’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran on Wednesday in an attack blamed on Israel, which has not directly commented on it.
The killing came hours after an Israeli strike on Beirut killed the military chief of Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement, Fuad Shuk.
Tehran said on Monday that “no one has the right to doubt Iran’s legal right to punish the Zionist regime” for Haniyeh’s killing.
United States President Joe Biden, whose country has sent extra warships and fighter jets to the region in support of Israel, held crisis talks on Monday with his national security team.
The head of the US military command covering the Middle East, General Michael Kurilla, arrived in Israel and met Israel’s military chief Lt. General Herzi Halevi for a security assessment, an Israeli military statement said.
Iraqi sources said a base hosting US troops in Iraq came under rocket fire on Monday, after an American strike on July 30 killed four pro-Iran Iraqi fighters.
“Rockets were launched at Ain Assad base” in Anbar province, said a military source, while a commander in a pro-Iran armed group told AFP that at least “two rockets targeted” the base, without saying who had carried out the attack.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday urged all sides in the Middle East to avoid “escalation,” his spokesman said.
US news site Axios earlier reported that Blinken told his counterparts from the G7 nations that any attack by Iran and Hezbollah could happen as early as Monday.
A European diplomat in Tel Aviv said “a coordinated response” from Iran and its proxies was expected but de-escalation efforts persisted.
“We’re telling them they have to stop playing with fire, because the risk of flare-ups is higher than at any time since October 7,” he said, declining to be named as he was not authorized to speak on the issue.
The Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation is to meet on Wednesday at the request of “Palestine and Iran,” to discuss developments in the region, an OIC official said.
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said his country is “preparing for any scenario both offensively and defensively.”
In the northern port city of Haifa, shop owner Yehuda Levi, 45, told AFP that Israelis are used to conflict, but facing a multi-pronged attack “is a little tricky.”
“It’s difficult, but we believe we’re a strong country. We’re going to win this war.”
Turkiye on Monday joined multiple nations calling on their citizens to leave Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based.
Numerous airlines have suspended flights to the country or limited them to daylight hours.
Germany’s Lufthansa, which has already suspended flights to the region including Tel Aviv, said its planes would avoid Iraqi and Iranian airspace until at least Wednesday.
Royal Jordanian Airlines said it would be operating three flights this week to transport nationals out of Beirut.
The United Nations’ rights chief Volker Turk called on “all parties, along with those states with influence, to act urgently to de-escalate what has become a very precarious situation.”
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein in a joint statement Monday “agreed to make every effort to avoid a regional escalation.” Italy currently holds the rotating presidency of the G7 group of countries.
French President Emmanuel Macron also appealed for “restraint” in the Middle East, during conversations with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, triggered by the Palestinian group’s October 7 attack on Israel, has already drawn in Iran-backed militants in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen.
The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,197 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
Militants also seized 251 hostages, 111 of whom are still held captive in Gaza, including 39 the military says are dead.
In Tel Aviv on Monday thousands of Israelis gathered to mark the fifth birthday of child hostage Ariel Bibas, and to call for the liberation of him and his family.
Netanyahu repeatedly promises to bring the hostages home but is facing a growing chorus of skeptics who worry he’s not interested in a ceasefire and hostage-release deal with Hamas, which US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators have for months been trying to reach.
“The hostages have no time and it seems like some people in Israel, including the prime minister, are taking their time,” said Gil Dickman, whose cousin Carmel Gat is among the captives.
Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 39,623 people, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry, which does not give details of civilian and militant deaths.
As the region braced for further escalation, Hezbollah and Israel kept up their near-daily exchanges of fire.
The Lebanese health ministry said three people were killed Monday in Israeli strikes on the country’s south. Israel’s military said it had struck militants operating a drone in the Mais Al-Jabal area.
Hezbollah later said two fighters had been killed, one from Mais Al-Jabal.
Tehran has said it expects Hezbollah to hit deeper inside Israel and no longer be confined to military targets.
Far from the Lebanese border, the Israeli military said around 15 rockets had crossed from the southern Gaza Strip into Israel on Monday, with medics reporting one injury.
Syrian president arrives in Kuwait on official visit
Al-Sharaa's visit to Kuwait aims to boost bilateral ties between the two countries
Kuwait has underscored its unwavering support for Syria’s unity and sovereignty
Updated 6 min 29 sec ago
Arab News
CAIRO: Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and his accompanying delegation arrived in Kuwait on Sunday.
“Al-Sharaa is set to hold official talks with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in affirmation of Kuwait’s steadfast support for Syria, its people, and its sovereignty,” read a statement on SANA News Agency.
Al-Sharaa's visit to Kuwait aims to boost bilateral ties between the two countries.
Ties between Syria and Kuwait resumed last year, witnessing a notable revival when Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya visited Damascus on Dec. 30.
Since the visit, Kuwait launched the first flights of a humanitarian air bridge to Syria, to help alleviate the suffering of Syrians, according to KUNA News Agency.
Kuwait, joining other GCC member states, has underscored its unwavering support for Syria’s unity and sovereignty.
Al-Sharaa had previously visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates on his Gulf tour.
Istanbul’s ‘suitcase trade’ stalls as African merchants face crackdown
African traders say business has slumped, even as official export figures continue to rise
African traders help drive demand for Turkish goods through the ‘kargo’ system
Updated 01 June 2025
AFP
ISTANBUL: Porters roam the narrow streets of Laleli in central Istanbul carrying parcels ready for shipment to customers all over the world.
The maze of alleys that lead down to the Sea of Marmara have long been the center of the “suitcase trade” to sub-Saharan Africa, a route through which merchants carry goods back and forth in their baggage.
But Laleli’s informal shipping scene, once a bustling hub of cross-continental trade, is now facing growing pressure from rising costs and tougher residency rules imposed by Turkish authorities.
African traders, who helped drive demand for Turkish goods through the “kargo” system – small-scale shipping services between Turkish wholesalers and buyers across Africa – say business has slumped, even as official export figures continue to rise.
While some still make round trips, most trade now moves through shipping services.
For agents like Fadil Bayero – a Cameroonian who runs a kargo business that ships clothing, cosmetics and home textiles from Turkiye to clients across Africa – business is slow.
Turkish products have a very good reputation in Africa, he said.
“Before this room was filled to the ceiling. Today it is half-empty,” the 39-year-old said.
Like many Africans in the neighborhood, he claimed that shipments have dropped, even as Turkish exports to Africa have generally soared – from $11.5 billion (€10.1 billion) in 2017 to $19.4 billion last year.
Turkish textiles, once known for their affordability, have grown more expensive in recent years.
Merchants say inflation – above 35 percent since late 2021 – has pushed African buyers toward cheaper suppliers in China and Egypt.
But for Bayero, the explanation lies elsewhere.
“It’s not inflation that’s the problem, it’s the arrests. Many people have been deported,” he said.
Since 2022, Turkiye’s migration policy has toughened, with the authorities blocking new residence permit applications in several districts of Istanbul, including Fatih, where Laleli is located.
The goal is to limit the proportion of foreigners to 20 percent per neighborhood.
“The stores, the streets, everything is empty now,” said Franck, one of Bayero’s colleagues.
“Look out the window – the sellers sit all day drinking tea while waiting for customers.”
A few streets away, Shamsu Abdullahi examined his spreadsheets.
In his dimly lit room, dozens of bundles are stacked on the white tiled floor, awaiting shipment.
Since January, he and his two colleagues have shipped over 20 tons of goods by air freight and filled the equivalent of 15 maritime containers.
The Nigerian has also made around 15 round trips to his homeland, bringing 80 kilos (176 pounds) of goods with him on each journey.
“My residence permit expires in two months, and I think the authorities won’t renew it,” he said.
He and his associates generate over a million euros a year in revenue.
“It’s money spent in Turkiye that fuels the local economy,” he said.
Historian Issouf Binate, a lecturer at Alassane Ouattara University in the Ivory Coast, said much of the trade is informal, making it hard to track.
“It’s difficult to provide figures on the volume of Turkiye’s exports to Africa because many businesses are informal,” he said.
“Kargos” are “transitional businesses,” with improvised activity shared between friends or family members.
Many in Laleli now believe that the golden age of the “kargo” and suitcase trading is over.
“In one year we went from about three tons of shipments per week to 1.5,” said a young Congolese who has lived in Istanbul for five years and asked not to be named.
“Even if we still manage to find low-cost products, we cannot compete with China,” he added.
Arslan Arslan, a Turkish merchant who sells African dresses a few meters (yards) away, painted the same picture.
“Before, I had customers from morning to evening... but the authorities sent them back.”
Now Arslan searches for his African customers on social media.
“I’m on Telegram, Instagram, Facebook. But here, everything has become expensive,” he said.
At least 31 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire while heading to Gaza aid hub
Witnesses say Israeli forces fired on crowds around a kilometer from an aid site run by an Israeli-backed foundation
Updated 16 min 27 sec ago
AP
RAFAH, Gaza Strip: At least 31 people were killed and scores wounded Sunday as they were on their way to receive food in the Gaza Strip, according to a Red Cross field hospital and multiple witnesses. The witnesses said Israeli forces fired on crowds around a kilometer from an aid site run by an Israeli-backed foundation.
The military did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The foundation said in a statement that it delivered aid “without incident” early Sunday and has denied previous accounts of chaos and gunfire around its sites, which are in Israeli military zones where independent access is limited.
Officials at the field hospital said at least 21 people were killed and another 175 people were wounded, without saying who opened fire on them. An Associated Press reporter saw dozens of people being treated at the hospital.
New aid system marred by chaos
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation ‘s distribution of aid has been marred by chaos, and multiple witnesses have said Israeli troops fired on crowds near the delivery sites. Before Sunday, at least six people had been killed and more than 50 wounded according to local health officials.
The foundation says the private security contractors guarding its sites have not fired on the crowds, while the Israeli military has acknowledged firing warning shots on previous occasions.
The foundation said in a statement that it distributed 16 truckloads of aid early Sunday “without incident,” and dismissed what it referred to as “false reporting about deaths, mass injuries and chaos.”
‘The scene was horrible’
Thousands of people headed toward the distribution site hours before dawn, congregating at the Flag Roundabout, about a kilometer (1,000 yards) away, as they waited for the site to open, according to witnesses. They said Israeli forces ordered people to disperse and come back later – before opening fire.
“There was fire from all directions, from naval warships, from tanks and drones,” said Amr Abu Teiba, who was in the crowd.
He said he saw at least 10 bodies with gunshot wounds and several other wounded people, including women. People used carts to ferry the dead and wounded to the field hospital. “The scene was horrible,” he said.
Ibrahim Abu Saoud, another eyewitness, provided a nearly identical account. He said the military fired around 300 meters (yards) away.
Abu Saoud said he saw many people with gunshot wounds, including a young man who he said had died at the scene. “We weren’t able to help him,” he said.
Mohammed Abu Teaima, 33, said he saw Israeli forces open fire and kill his cousin and another woman as they were heading toward the distribution site. He said his cousin was shot in his chest and died at the scene. Many others were wounded, including his brother-in-law, he said.
“They opened heavy fire directly toward us,” he said as he was waiting outside the Red Cross field hospital for word on his wounded relative.
The hub is part of a controversial new aid system
Israel and the United States say the new system is aimed at preventing Hamas from siphoning off assistance. Israel has not provided any evidence of systematic diversion, and the UN denies it has occurred.
UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to work with the new system, saying it violates humanitarian principles because it allows Israel to control who receives aid and forces people to relocate to distribution sites, risking yet more mass displacement in the territory.
The UN system has struggled to bring in aid after Israel slightly eased its total blockade of the territory last month. Those groups say Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order, and widespread looting make it extremely difficult to deliver aid to Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians.
Experts have warned that the territory is at risk of famine if more aid is not brought in.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. They are still holding 58 hostages, around a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
Israel’s military campaign has killed over 54,000 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants. The offensive has destroyed vast areas of the territory, displaced around 90 percent of its population and left people almost completely reliant on international aid.
Anti-aircraft missiles fire as drones fly over Port Sudan: witnesses
Since Sudanese authorities fled the capital Khartoum early in the war, Port Sudan has hosted government ministries, the United Nations and hundreds of thousands of people
Updated 01 June 2025
AFP
PORT SUDAN, Sudan: Anti-aircraft missiles fired over Sudan’s wartime capital Port Sudan on Saturday, eyewitnesses reported, as drones flew over the once-safe haven city.
Since April 2023, war has raged between Sudan’s regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Port Sudan, seat of the army-backed government, came under attack by drones blamed on the RSF for the first time early this month.
The campaign of drone strikes attacked infrastructure including the country’s last functioning civilian international airport, power stations and major fuel depots.
The near-daily strikes had stopped for over a week until Saturday, when residents in the city heard “the sound of anti-aircraft missiles north and west of the city and drones flying in the sky,” one witness told AFP.
Since Sudanese authorities fled the capital Khartoum early in the war, Port Sudan has hosted government ministries, the United Nations and hundreds of thousands of people.
Nearly all aid into the country — home to nearly 25 million people suffering dire food insecurity — transits through Port Sudan.
The war has killed tens of thousands, uprooted 13 million and created what the UN describes as the world’s largest hunger and displacement crises.
It has also effectively split Sudan in two, with the army holding the center, east and north, while the paramilitaries and their allies control nearly all of Darfur and parts of the south.
Since losing Khartoum in March, the RSF has adopted a two-pronged strategy: long-range drone strikes on army-held cities accompanied by counteroffensives to reclaim territory in the country’s south.
The drone strikes have impacted infrastructure across Sudan’s army-held northeast, with attacks on power stations causing blackouts for millions of people.
A blackout in Khartoum also cut off access to clean water, according to health authorities, causing a cholera outbreak that has killed close to 300 people this month.
Will the lifting of sanctions usher in a new beginning for the Syrian people?
As Syrians begin to dream of a peaceful and prosperous future, experts warn progress will be slow, uneven, and depend on structural reform
Analysts say rejoining the global economy is within reach for Syria, but hinges on the pace of reconstruction and restoration of trust in leadership
Updated 01 June 2025
ANAN TELLO
LONDON: When news broke that Western sanctions on Syria would be lifted, Marwah Morhly finally allowed herself to imagine something she had not dared to in years: a stable life in her hometown of Damascus.
A Syrian writer and editor now living in Turkiye, Morhly once navigated a precarious existence back home — trying to earn a remote income in a country cut off from global banking systems and mired in uncertainty.
Returning to Damascus always felt like a distant dream — too risky and too complicated. But with sanctions easing, that dream is beginning to look attainable.
People walk along a road in the Syrian capital Damascus on May 20, 2025. (AFP)
“It’s a different kind of freedom — the freedom to dream,” she told Arab News.
“As someone who works remotely, the lifting of sanctions lets me imagine a future where I can work from my home in Damascus, receive my salary through a bank transfer directly to my account there, without any form of danger or exploitation.”
Under sanctions, she said, Syrians working with foreign clients had to operate in secrecy.
“We were working in the shadows … like ghosts,” she said. “We weren’t allowed to be visible, like unknown soldiers, because the moment it became clear (to employers abroad) that the work was happening inside Syria, it could jeopardize our livelihoods.”
The breakthrough came on May 13, when US President Donald Trump, during a visit to Riyadh, announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria. He framed the move as a historic opportunity for economic recovery and political stabilization.
A handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace shows the historic meeting between President Donald Trump (C) and Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh on May 13, 2025, arranged by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R). (AFP)
Ten days later, the US Treasury Department issued General License 25, authorizing transactions with Syria’s new transitional government, led by President Ahmad Al-Sharaa. In parallel, the State Department suspended the Caesar Act sanctions for 180 days, signaling a pivot toward reconstruction and humanitarian relief.
The EU soon followed suit, announcing the end of its own economic sanctions in a coordinated effort to support a nation fractured by more than a decade of civil war.
On Saturday, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud announced from Damascus a joint effort with Qatar to fund salary support for Syria’s state employees.
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (L) Syria's interim foreign minister Asaad Shaibani giving a joint press conference in Damascus on May 31, 2025. (SANA handout via AFP)
The move built on the two countries’ decision earlier in May to pay off the $15.5 million debt Syria owed to the International Development Association, a World Bank fund that provides zero- or low-interest loans and grants to the world’s poorest countries.
This policy shift did not happen in a vacuum. Ibrahim Al-Assil, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said years of grassroots advocacy were pivotal.
“Of course, the Saudi role was huge, and many Syrians appreciate that, and same for the Turkish role,” Al-Assil told CNN.
“But also, many Syrians have been working on that — from students to academics to activists to business leaders and journalists writing and talking about this and pushing more and more towards lifting sanctions.”
People walk past a billboard displaying portraits of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US President Donald Trump with a slogan thanking Saudi Arabia and the United States, in Damascus on May 14, 2025. (AFP)
The impact of these efforts goes beyond international politics. “Why? Because it allows Syrians to breathe again,” he said, adding that sanctions are often viewed only on a macro level as something that affects an entire country. In reality, they have a serious impact on daily life.
“We forget that they affect the lives of the individuals on the tiny details — from medicine to connectivity and being able to check their email normally … also to what industries they can have, where they can travel, what kind of machines they can buy for their factories.”
For ordinary Syrians, these limitations posed immense challenges. Now, Al-Assil said, the situation is changing.
“It’s still challenging, but the major obstacle seems to have been moved out of the way for Syrians, allowing them to move ahead and rebuild their country.”
Beyond basic needs, the lifting of sanctions opens new possibilities for professionals still living in Syria — many of whom have endured years of isolation, limited access to technology, and restricted earning potential.
Salma Saleh, a graphic designer based in Damascus, says she has spent 13 years building her career under the weight of sanctions, along with the years before that dedicated to her education.
“The challenges have been endless,” she told Arab News. “We struggled to access most technologies and tools. Often, we had to use workarounds just to get hold of banned software or platforms.”
Freelancing is no easier. “Syrians are blocked from PayPal and most global payment platforms used by freelancing platforms,” she said.
“Even sites essential for our work like Shutterstock, Freepik, and Envato are inaccessible. We can’t even purchase courses on Coursera or Udemy, nor the software we work with, such as Adobe programs.
“We can’t promote our work on social media platforms due to the ban on paid advertisements in Syria. Clients are afraid to work with Syrian freelancers because of the difficulty with payment methods and fears of being accused of funding terrorism.”
Electricity outages posed further challenges. “My heart nearly stopped every time the power cut while I was rendering a video on my laptop,” said Saleh.
This picture taken on October 5, 2023 shows a view of the damage at a destroyed electrical substation in Qamishli in northeastern Syria close to the Turkish border. (AFP)
“It happened so many times we eventually got used to it. Syrian designers have become the most resilient professionals out there.”
Syria’s electricity sector has all but collapsed owing to infrastructure damage, fuel shortages, and economic sanctions. Once relatively stable, the system now delivers just a few hours of electricity per day. In some areas, that is as little as 30 minutes.
“We had to jump through hoops just to keep up with the rest of the world,” said Saleh. “We gave it everything. I consider the Syrian designer a super designer — and rightfully so.”
For Syrians across the diaspora, the developments mark a fragile but significant turning point. Cautious optimism is beginning to take root — even as the country remains divided and the road to recovery is long.
Lama Beddawi, a Syrian-American DevOps environment analyst based in the US, echoed that sentiment. “The recent decision to lift sanctions on Syria marks a pivotal turning point, and I am hopeful that it signals a move in the right direction,” she told Arab News.
“This development brings a sense of optimism that the country’s long-strained economy may begin to recover, opening the door for increased stability and renewed international investment,” she said.
“With fewer restrictions, Syria has the potential to rebuild its infrastructure, strengthen its institutions, and create opportunities for its people, paving the way for a more sustainable and prosperous future.”
Syrian men work in a textile workshop in Gaziantep, Turkiye, on January 30, 2025. (AFP)
Still, the benefits remain largely theoretical for now. On the ground, daily challenges persist, and progress will take time.
“Everyone understands this isn’t a magic fix — the effects will take time to show,” said Morhly. “As one man from central Damascus put it: ‘For now, we’ll take a hit from the dollar rate, but in a couple of months, more people will actually be able to afford meat again.’”
There is also cautious optimism that basic services might begin to improve. “There’s hope the electricity situation might improve — which is the second biggest concern after water, especially with summer approaching and the heat already setting in,” she added.
From an economic perspective, the lifting of sanctions presents both opportunities and challenges.
A man looks at fruits at a stall, some of which were not available while deposed president Bashar al-Assad was in power, like kiwi, mango and pineapple, in the Shalaan Market in the Syrian capital Damascus on May 26, 2025. (AFP)
Mohamed Ghazal, managing director of Startup Syria, a community-led initiative supporting Syrian entrepreneurs, believes translating sanctions relief into concrete gains such as jobs, investment, and basic services “will be a complex and gradual process.”
He remains optimistic about certain sectors. “Quicker gains are possible in transport and trade,” Ghazal told Arab News.
However, critical areas like general business development and startups are experiencing slower momentum. “Lifting sanctions can take months,” said Ghazal. “Capital flow issues persist due to a crippled banking system.
“Syria’s banks lack access to SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication), suffer low liquidity, and operate under opaque regulations.
“Attracting foreign capital requires a modern investment law, clear property rights, business licensing frameworks, and financial repatriation mechanisms.
“The speed of progress depends on comprehensive reforms, institutional rebuilding, international investment, and continued humanitarian support.
“The lifting of sanctions is expected to open up channels like new funding, banking, or investment channels for Syrian startups.”
Diaspora and foreign investors could offer the capital injection needed to get the economy off its knees.
There are “positive signs from the Syrian diaspora and potential foreign direct investment, especially from GCC countries and Turkiye,” said Ghazal. “Interest from impact investors seeking financial returns and social and environmental impact.”
He identified several immediate priorities for revitalizing the economy, including restoring access to SWIFT, enacting a modern investment law with clear legal protections, and easing import restrictions on essential technology to enable the use of software, cloud services, and digital tools.
The SWIFT system is a global messaging network that enables financial institutions to exchange transaction details — like money transfer instructions — quickly, securely, and accurately across borders.
Before Lebanon’s 2019 financial collapse, many Syrians used its banking system to bypass sanctions, parking billions in assets and accessing US dollars and trade channels. When the system froze, transfers stopped, savings were locked, and Syrians lost access to critical funds.
An employee counts Syrian pounds at an exchange counter in Damascus on May 21, 2025. (AFP)
The Syrian pound then collapsed, inflation surged, and the economy worsened. While some estimates once placed Syrian deposits as high as $40 billion, remaining deposits in 2025 were estimated at just $3 to $4 billion, according to the Karam Shaar Advisory consultancy.
Some experts believe sanctions relief could signal a path forward. Ghassan Ibrahim, a London-based Syria analyst and founder of the Global Arab Network, believes sanctions relief could unlock trade and investment.
“Lifting Western sanctions removes long-standing barriers to Syria joining the global market,” he told Arab News. “It restores credibility and sends a message that Syria is on the right path.”
Investor interest is already growing. “Next week, a few American investors are heading to Damascus. We’re also seeing engagement from GCC countries and Chinese firms already operating there.
Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (4L), Foreign Minister Assaad al-Shibani (5L), and US special envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack (3L) attending a deal signing ceremony between Syria and a Qatari, US, and Turkish energy consortium, in Damascus on May 29, 2025. (SANA/AFP)
“Any relief, especially from the US, will help get Syria back on track. It boosts the government’s legitimacy and strengthens its diplomatic hand.”
The broader economic and political impact cannot be understated. “President Al-Sharaa will be able to travel more freely, engage in diplomacy, and attract serious development partnerships,” said Ibrahim. “That’s critical for reconstruction.
“Ultimately, this shift could improve quality of life, create jobs, and drive long-term growth.”
Still, Syria’s path to recovery remains long. Nearly six months after the fall of Bashar Assad, the country is still plagued by deep sectarian divisions, persistent violence, and political fragmentation.
In March 2025 alone, more than 1,100 people were killed in attacks targeting the Alawite minority following coordinated assaults on government forces. Survivors remain fearful of further violence, and many perpetrators have not been brought to justice.
Displaced Syrians from the Alawite minority take shelter in a school in the village of Al-Masoudiyeh, in Lebanon's northern Akkar region, on March 19, 2025. (AFP)
Foreign threats compound internal instability. Israel has launched multiple airstrikes, including one near the presidential palace, citing threats to the Druze minority. Syria’s new leadership condemned the attacks, highlighting the fragility of foreign relations.
Internally, law and order remains weak. Women and minorities still face abuse, rights protections are unevenly enforced, and extremist groups continue to assert control in some regions, several news agencies have reported.
The humanitarian crisis also endures. Around 16.7 million Syrians rely on aid, while millions remain displaced. Israel maintains a military presence, and Turkiye has voiced opposition to any settlement between Damascus and Kurdish factions — complicating efforts toward national unity.
Though US, EU, and UK sanctions relief is meant to support Syria’s transition, the UN warns of “real dangers of renewed conflict.”
Meanwhile, the interim government faces the daunting task of rebuilding a country where 90 percent of the population lives in poverty and millions remain displaced.
The door may be open, but walking through it will require more than hope. It will take time, trust, and tangible change.
