Syrian de facto leader al-Sharaa congratulates Trump, looks forward to improving relations between the two countries

(Patria) - Syrian de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa congratulated US President Donald Trump on his inauguration in a statement on Monday, saying he looks forward to improving relations between the two countries, Reuters reported.

"We are convinced that he is a leader in bringing peace to the Middle East and restoring stability to the region," al-Sharaa said.

The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and others imposed harsh sanctions on Syria after the crackdown on pro-democracy protests by ousted President Bashar al-Assad in 2011, which escalated into a civil war.

In early January, Washington issued a six-month waiver from sanctions for transactions with governing institutions in Syria in an effort to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid.

Syria welcomed the move but called for the complete lifting of sanctions to support its recovery.