In a lighthearted prelude to high-stakes diplomacy, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa joined top U.S. military commanders for an impromptu basketball game upon his arrival in the U.S. capital, underscoring the burgeoning rapport between Damascus and Washington. The event, captured in a video shared by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani on social media, quickly went viral, blending informality with the weight of impending talks on sanctions relief, reconstruction, and counterterrorism.
The footage depicts Sharaa, dressed in a suit and tie, alongside Admiral Brad Cooper—commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) since August 2025—and Brigadier General Kevin J. Lambert, who assumed leadership of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in July 2025—taking precise shots at the basket from various angles inside a sports arena. The group, including al-Shaibani, appeared relaxed and engaged in friendly banter, a stark contrast to the formalities of statecraft. This “work hard, play harder” moment, as one regional analyst quipped, has been hailed as a symbolic gesture of trust-building ahead of Sharaa’s historic White House meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday.
Sanctions Lifted: A Turning Point for Syria’s Transitional Government
The basketball outing follows a cascade of international endorsements for Sharaa’s administration. On Thursday, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2799, removing Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab from its sanctions list targeting ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaida affiliates—a move championed by the United States and supported by 14 of 15 members, with China abstaining. The U.S. and UK swiftly followed suit on Friday, lifting their own asset freezes, travel bans, and arms embargoes on the duo, citing severed ties between Sharaa’s former group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and al-Qaida. The European Union confirmed it would align with these measures, paving the way for broader economic reintegration.
Sharaa, who led the rebel offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024—ending over a decade of civil war—had faced U.S. sanctions since 2013 for his HTS affiliations. These delistings reflect a seismic shift in Western policy, viewing his transitional government as a stabilizing force amid Syria’s fragile recovery.
A Landmark Visit: From UN Debut to White House Summit
Sharaa touched down in Washington in the early hours of Sunday for what marks the first official visit by a Syrian president to the White House since the country’s independence in 1946. It is his second trip to the U.S., following an address to the UN General Assembly in September 2025—the first by a Syrian leader since 1967. The agenda is packed: discussions on lifting remaining sector-wide sanctions, mobilizing aid for Syria’s reconstruction, and bolstering counter-ISIS efforts in a nation still scarred by war.
U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack indicated that the visit could culminate in Syria’s formal accession to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, with a signing ceremony slated for November 8 at the White House. Formed in 2014, the coalition—comprising over 80 nations—has focused on military and economic support to eradicate ISIS remnants in Syria, Iraq, and beyond. Lambert, a 1993 University of North Georgia graduate with deployments in Haiti, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan, has emphasized partnership-building, including training with Kurdish Peshmerga forces. Cooper, a 1989 U.S. Naval Academy alumnus and son of a career Army officer, brings expertise from operations in the Middle East, including defenses against Houthi threats.
President Trump, commenting on the visit, praised Sharaa as someone “doing a very good job in a complicated region,” crediting the sanctions relief with offering Syria a “real chance to rebuild.” This comes as Syria’s Interior Ministry reported 61 raids and 71 arrests targeting ISIS cells, signaling proactive domestic security measures.
Rebuilding Ties: A Broader Regional Reset
Since assuming power, Sharaa has pursued a flurry of foreign engagements—from Riyadh and Moscow to Brasília—to mend fences severed under Assad’s isolationist rule. These efforts aim to unlock international cooperation for economic revival, with the diaspora and global partners seen as key to addressing war’s lingering devastation: displaced millions, shattered infrastructure, and intertwined security threats.
As Sharaa transitions from rebel commander to statesman, Sunday’s basketball diplomacy—echoing informal U.S. leader-athlete interactions—hints at a pragmatic alliance. Yet challenges persist: ensuring inclusive governance, countering extremism, and navigating regional rivalries. With eyes on Monday’s summit, observers see potential for a “new chapter” in Middle East stability, though one tempered by Syria’s complex past.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
