Overview
- Al‑Sharaa renewed his call for Congress to repeal the 2019 Caesar Act, arguing remaining sanctions now punish Syrians despite executive waivers ordered by President Trump.
- The State Department said Rubio and Al‑Sharaa discussed counterterrorism, missing Americans and Israel‑Syria relations, without committing on lifting remaining sanctions.
- Al‑Sharaa said he seeks a deal to halt Israeli strikes and withdrawals in southern Syria but rejected joining the Abraham Accords, while Israeli leaders cautioned against expectations of a quick breakthrough.
- Syria set October 5 for its first post‑Assad parliamentary selection, with two‑thirds of seats chosen by provincial electoral colleges and one‑third appointed by the president due to displacement and documentation hurdles.
- In remarks in New York, Al‑Sharaa said talks with the Kurdish‑led SDF are delayed and warned decentralization demands risk broader conflict, highlighting the fragility of Syria’s internal transition.