Donald Trump has met with Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa during his three-nation tour of the Middle East – the first meeting between leaders of the two nations in 25 years.
After announcing the lifting of sanctions against Syria on Tuesday night, the US president called for Mr Al Sharaa to sign onto the Abraham Accords with Israel and tell all foreign terrorists to leave the war-torn Middle Eastern country.
According to a White House readout of the meeting in Saudi Arabia, Mr Trump also called on the Syrian leader to deport Palestinian terrorists, help the US to prevent the resurgence of ISIS and assume responsibility for ISIS detention centres in northeast Syria.
Asked what the Syrian leader was like following their meeting, the US president said: “Great…A young, attractive guy…
“A tough guy.”
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Pictures from the meeting show the 78-year-old Republican shaking hands with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and President Al Sharaa, who was responsible for the toppling of dictator Bashar al Assad.
The meeting with Syria’s president came despite him being a one-time insurgent leader who spent years imprisoned by US forces after being captured in Iraq.
He was named president of Syria in January, a month after an offensive by insurgent groups led by his Hayat Tahrir al Sham, or HTS, stormed Damascus and ended the 54-year rule of the Assad family.
Formerly known as Abu Mohammed al Jolani, Mr Al Sharaa joined al Qaeda insurgents battling US forces in Iraq and still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in that country.
The presidents shaking hands. Pic: Saudi Press Agency
The US once offered $10m for information about his whereabouts because of his links to al Qaeda.
The new Syrian president came back to his home country of Syria after the conflict began in 2011 and led al Qaeda’s branch that used to be known as the Nusra Front.
He later changed the name of his group to Hayat Tahrir al Sham and cut links with al Qaeda.
Mr Trump said he agreed to meet with Mr Al Sharaa after being encouraged to do so by Mr Bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
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“There is a new government that will hopefully succeed,” Mr Trump said of Syria, adding, “I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special.”
On Tuesday, Mr Trump suddenly announced the US would be lifting sanctions on Syria, which had been in place since 2011.
The lifting of sanctions on Syria “gives them a chance for greatness”, Mr Trump said.
“The sanctions were really crippling, very powerful.”
This story originally appeared on Skynews
