Trump lifts sanctions on Syria, warns Iran of nuclear weapons but signals openness to deals

U.S. President Donald Trump chose the Middle East as the destination for his first major foreign trip since reentering the White House.

There, he said sanctions on Syria will be lifted.

Park Kun-woo has more.

The more than a decade-long U.S. sanctions on Syria to pressure the country's former dictatorship are set to be lifted.

That was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump in a speech made at an investment forum held in Riyadh during his four-day visit to the Gulf, Trump's first international trip since his return to the Oval Office.

"I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness."

Trump said he made the move at the request of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while saying U.S. measures against Syria had now fulfilled their purpose.

Syria had been urging the U.S. to lift sanctions since last December, following the ousting of its former dictator.

Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani called Trump's decision a "pivotal turning point" as Syria enters a phase of "reconstruction" after years of war.

Trump is expected to meet with Syria's interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will hold talks with Syria's Foreign Minister in Türkiye later this week.

On Tuesday, Trump called Iran the "most destructive force" in the Middle East, vowing it would never be allowed to have nuclear weapons.

Trump also said he remains open to diplomacy with Tehran, saying he is not just condemning Iran's previous choices.

"I want to make a deal with Iran. But if Iran's leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to attack their neighbors, then we will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure, drive Iranian oil exports to zero, like I did before."

Also on Tuesday at the U.S.-Saudi investment forum, Saudi Arabia announced an investment of 600 billion U.S. dollars in the United States.

The agreement includes an arms deal -worth nearly 142 billion dollars -which the White House called the "largest defense cooperation deal Washington has ever done" as well as other technology partnerships.

Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.