Syrian leader has expressed interest in normalizing ties with Israel — report

New Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa says that Damascus, “under the right conditions,” seeks to normalize ties with Israel, US Congressman Cory Mills tells Bloomberg after meeting with the president in Syria on Friday.

Mills says he held talks with Sharaa about the conditions for removing US-imposed economic sanctions, as well as peace with Israel, according to the report.

Sharaa told Mills during their meeting that Syria is interested “under the right conditions” in joining the Abraham Accords — the series of normalization agreements that US President Donald Trump’s previous administration negotiated between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and others.

According to Mills, Sharaa is also open to clarifying how he plans to address the presence of foreign fighters still operating in Syria and offer guarantees to Israel, which remains deeply distrustful of the Syrian leader and opposes any easing of sanctions.

Syria’s new Islamist-led leadership has pushed for the US and Europe to fully lift sanctions so the country can kickstart an economy decimated by more than a decade of civil war.

Mills, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees, and US Congressman Marlin Stutzman of Indiana, both landed in Damascus on Friday to meet Syrian officials, the first visit by American lawmakers to the war-ravaged country since Bashar al-Assad was ousted from power by an Islamist-led rebel offensive in December.

Mills met with Sharaa, who is still under US and UN sanctions for his previous ties to al-Qaeda, on Friday night, during which the two discussed US sanctions and Iran during a 90-minute meeting.

Mills told Bloomberg that he will bring Trump a letter from Sharaa, without providing details on its contents, and that he will brief the US president and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz after his trip.

“I am cautiously optimistic and look to maintain open dialog,” Mills tells Bloomberg.