Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa met on Monday with a high-level American delegation headed by the United States Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, in the capital, Damascus.
According to a statement from the Syrian Presidency, Sharaa received the delegation, which included Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Congressman Joe Wilson.
The statement, published via the official Presidency page on Facebook, noted that the talks focused on recent developments in Syria and the wider region, as well as exploring avenues to strengthen dialogue and cooperation aimed at promoting security and stability.
Last Tuesday, President Sharaa also received a US congressional delegation comprising members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
That delegation included Senators Markwayne Mullin and Joni Ernst, alongside Congressmen Jason Smith and Jimmy Panetta.
Syrian Foreign Minister Aseed Shibani and Interior Minister Anas Khattab were also present at the meeting, SANA reported.
The congressional delegation had arrived in Damascus from Amman, the Jordanian capital, following a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan.
On 10 August, US Congressman Ibrahim Hamadeh met with President Sharaa and Foreign Minister Assaad al-Shibani in Damascus.
In a statement following the visit, Hamadeh said he had undertaken an unprecedented journey from Jerusalem to Damascus, where he held talks with the Syrian leadership to advance ongoing efforts to repatriate American citizens, advocate for peace through strength, and promote a forward-looking vision for Syria.
The statement described the visit as a “historic step”, marking the first time in decades that an American official had travelled directly from Jerusalem to Damascus.
Hamadeh, acting in his capacity as an envoy for the “Peace Through Strength” initiative, reportedly spent six hours in Syria. Discussions included the return of the remains of American aid worker Kayla Mueller to her family in Arizona, and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to deliver aid to the southern province of Al-Suwayda.
He underlined the importance of Syria normalising relations with Israel and joining the Abraham Accords, particularly in light of recent tragic developments.
During the meeting, Hamadeh advised President Sharaa of the need to guarantee peace and security for all Syrians — including Christians, Druze, Kurds, Alawites, and other communities — to ensure a unified Syrian state.
He voiced his support for former US President Donald Trump’s decision to ease certain sanctions on Syria to facilitate reconstruction efforts, while stressing that Congress must play a significant role in ensuring the Syrian government adheres to its commitments to the United States.
Congressman Hamadeh also expressed appreciation for the “strong leadership” of US Envoy Tom Barrack in the Levant.
Hamadeh’s visit to Damascus followed meetings in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the Spiritual Leader of the Druze Monotheist community in Israel.
