Washington is preparing for the visit of Syria’s Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa to the White House on November 10, for the signing of an agreement marking Syria’s official accession to the international coalition against the Islamic State group. The announcement was made by the U.S. envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, who described the visit as “pivotal” in the process of rebuilding bilateral relations following the fall of the former regime.
Syrian-American relations are expected to undergo a historic transformation with the visit of Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa to Washington, the first of its kind since the establishment of relations between the two countries. The visit will culminate in the signing of a document confirming Syria’s accession to the international coalition against the Islamic State.
The agenda includes discussions on lifting sanctions, reconstruction, and opening a new political and economic chapter, in addition to launching a fifth round of negotiations with Israel under U.S. sponsorship to reach a border security agreement. Washington has confirmed its readiness to support Damascus militarily and logistically and to enable it within the coalition while ensuring its independence from Iranian and Eastern influence. The United States has also removed the names of al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab from terrorism lists, paving the way for granting the Syrian government international legitimacy and direct partnership in counterterrorism efforts.
“Tightening the Noose Rather Than a Pragmatic Step”
Journalist Ahed Murad, based in The Hague, told +963 that the United States does not need al-Sharaa to serve as its arm in fighting terrorism, adding that describing Western movements as pragmatic is inaccurate. He explained that what is happening is “an attempt to tighten the noose on al-Sharaa, increasing his commitments and possibly pushing him into confrontation with his former allies.”
Murad continued that the issue of recognition has become secondary under current global changes, and that the existing acknowledgment is not a recognition of legitimacy but rather an acceptance of reality and a willingness to deal with the authority as a power that must be engaged for the sake of U.S. interests.
He noted that “unifying efforts between the Ministry of Defense of the transitional government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is not easy, and any agreement would be merely formal between two rival parties, with the possibility of renewed tensions at any moment.”
He further explained that “the Syrian army does not approach Syria as a central national cause but from ideological and religious backgrounds, making cooperation with forces of different orientations difficult. Coordination is likely to be limited to intelligence exchange on the Islamic State file rather than a true merger.”
For his part, political analyst Alaa al-Asfari, based in Damascus, said that “Syria’s participation in the international coalition against the Islamic State is a very important and significant step in the right direction, though there are concerns about internal pressures, as some factions secretly or indirectly support extremist groups such as the Islamic State.”
He added that the transitional Syrian government must urgently join the international coalition to eliminate extremist organizations designated on global terrorism lists.
He believes that Syria’s accession to the international coalition against the Islamic State is “a key step” toward rapprochement with the United States and European countries and toward establishing good-neighborly relations in the region, including with Israel, should Tel Aviv respond positively to Syrian demands.
He noted that signing the accession agreement in the United States would mark a genuine step toward combating the Islamic State effectively and forming both local and regional solidarity to eradicate the organization.
Read also: Where Is Syria’s Foreign Policy Heading?
“Recognition of Existence, Not Legitimacy”
Dr. Salah Qirata, professor of political science and international relations based in Madrid, told +963 that the potential for Syria to officially join the international coalition against terrorism represents a significant shift in the international stance toward Damascus. However, he clarified that this does not constitute a legitimate recognition of the regime, but rather a practical acknowledgment of its existence as an actor that cannot be ignored.
He added that security and intelligence cooperation reflects a shift from isolation to containment, where pragmatism takes precedence over normative considerations. He noted that accession, if it occurs, would be a temporary step based on the exchange of security benefits without touching sanctions or achieving full normalization, emphasizing the legitimacy of function rather than that of governance.
Qirata pointed out that such rapprochement would influence regional powers: Turkey may pursue a calculated de-escalation, Iran will seek to consolidate its gains, and Russia will aim for diplomatic advantage, while Arab states may see in it an opportunity for gradual reintegration with Damascus. He stressed that the overall picture indicates a re-engineering of regional balances based on security interests rather than ideological alignments.
He explained that “field coordination between the Syrian army and the SDF is practically feasible if a clear framework is established defining goals and boundaries under the supervision of a neutral guarantor. Such cooperation should be limited to counterterrorism, separating military from political aspects to prevent ideological conflicts.”
He added that the operational framework would include a joint operations center, field liaison teams, intelligence sharing, unified rules of engagement, and civilian protection guarantees, along with a political track addressing reintegration or demobilization issues and economic incentives to reduce friction. He argued that contradictions could be transformed into limited cooperation that protects civilians without implying political recognition.
Qirata noted that information exchange with a sanctioned government is legally possible if conducted through mechanisms protecting participants from violating sanctions. The key, he said, is to obtain official licenses such as those issued by OFAC or similar security and humanitarian exemptions.
He added that the process begins with an official request specifying objectives, data types, parties involved, and timeframe, followed by a temporary permit communicated to financial intermediaries. He emphasized the need for official channels through the international coalition or a guarantor entity, along with an internal oversight committee to document operations and ensure compliance with international law.
He concluded that protecting civilians and detainees is paramount in any security cooperation between the two sides, highlighting the importance of an international fact-finding committee, UN observers, and strict engagement rules ensuring immediate investigation of any incident. He added that cooperation must be conditional, with violations leading to suspension of participation.
Qirata asserted that any rapprochement between Damascus and the international coalition will generate complex regional dynamics: Turkey moving toward calm, Iraq toward monitoring, and Iran toward consolidation. He added that this alignment may produce new alliances driven by security and economic interests rather than ideology, stressing that stability will remain contingent upon the balance of regional interests and international guarantees.
