Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Syria’s foreign minister on Thursday, the latest sign of growing American support after President Trump announced this week that he was lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria.
The meeting in Antalya, Turkey, came two days after Mr. Trump made the surprise sanctions announcement during a visit to Saudi Arabia, which could throw Syria a desperately needed economic lifeline after nearly 14 years of civil war and decades of dictatorship. The next day, Mr. Trump met Syria’s president, Ahmed al-Shara, a former rebel leader, for the first time.
In their meeting on Thursday, Mr. Rubio and his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, discussed a road map for the sanctions to be lifted, according to statements from the Turkish and Syrian foreign ministries. The exact terms of the process and the timeline remain unclear.
Mr. Rubio told reporters after the meeting that the U.S. goal was to help establish a peaceful, stable Syria. He said he was encouraged by calls from Syria’s new government for a peaceful relationship with Israel and for expelling terrorists from the country.
Mr. Rubio said the Trump administration would begin by issuing a temporary waiver of some sanctions against Syria that were imposed by Congress. This would not only allow American dollars to flow into the country but also free Syria’s neighbors to begin funding the country’s reconstruction without fear of penalties from Washington.
As progress is made, Mr. Rubio said, the Trump administration can eventually ask Congress to permanently repeal remaining sanctions on Syria. “We’re not there yet,” he said. “That’s premature.”
Mr. Rubio did not clarify what conditions Syria must meet for the administration to push for the permanent lifting of sanctions.
Mr. Trump’s pledge to end the sanctions was widely seen as a major victory for Syria’s new authorities, led by Mr. al-Shara, who has sought to establish his government on the world stage after his rebel coalition ousted the dictator Bashar al-Assad in December.
While the president has the power to lift some restrictions, Congress would have to remove others, and experts warn that it will take time. On Thursday, the Treasury Department announced that it was starting the process of lifting sanctions. “Treasury’s actions can help rebuild Syria’s economy, financial sector and infrastructure and could put the country on a path to a bright, prosperous and stable future,” it said.
In the meeting in Turkey, American officials emphasized the importance of establishing mutual trust between the United States and Syria. They urged Syria’s new leadership to fight terrorism on Syrian soil, according to a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
Turkey’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, attended the meeting, the ministry said, and its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, joined online. Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, also participated.
“I will be working closely with President Trump, Secretary Rubio and their teams to follow up on sanctions relief, and hopefully eventually rescinding Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law,” Mr. Graham said.
Mr. al-Shara who has sought to remake his image from jihadist to a moderate statesman since his rebel coalition seized power. He once led a branch of Al Qaeda before breaking ties with the jihadist group, and the United States designates the rebel organization he led, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, as a terrorist organization.
Mr. Trump’s meeting with Mr. al-Shara in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday was the first time in 25 years that the two countries’ leaders had met.
In a televised address to Syria on Wednesday night, Mr. al-Shara described the American decision to lift the sanctions as a turning point for Syria, saying it “alleviates the suffering of the people, contributes to their rebirth and lays the foundations for stability in the region.”
The United States first imposed sanctions on Syria in the 1970s, introducing more punishing restrictions on the Assad regime during Syria’s civil war.
Soon after rebels ousted the Assad government, some Western governments eased sanctions on Syria, but the Trump administration put forth conditions before it would do the same. Those included demands that Iran — a close ally of the Assad government — not be welcome on Syrian territory and that Syria’s chemical weapons stores be destroyed. In his meeting with Mr. al-Shara, Mr. Trump urged him to continue to work to meet many of those conditions.
U.S. sanctions have had a devastating effect on Syria’s economy. More than 90 percent of the population lives in poverty, according to the United Nations.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar have said they would jointly repay Syria’s $15 million debt to the World Bank and have suggested that they could pay public sector salaries, but are wary of violating U.S. sanctions.
Michael Crowley and Robert Jimison contributed reporting.
Christina Goldbaum is the Afghanistan and Pakistan bureau chief for The Times, leading the coverage of the region.
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