MANAMA (Dispatches) – Syria’s self-proclaimed president, Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group previously linked to Al-Qaeda and Daesh, is scheduled to visit Washington in early November, according to his foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani. 
The trip is set to mark the first official visit to the United States by a Syrian authority.
Speaking at a panel during the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain on Sunday, Shaibani said the visit would cover a range of topics, beginning with the potential lifting of remaining U.S. sanctions on Syria.
“Many topics will be discussed, starting with the lifting of sanctions,” he said. The HTS foreign ministry in Damascus confirmed the planned trip, highlighting its unprecedented nature.
On Saturday, U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack indicated that Jolani’s visit is also aimed at formalizing Syria’s participation in what he described as an international alliance against Daesh. 
The announcement has drawn attention due to Jolani’s history as a former commander in groups previously linked to global terrorist networks, raising questions about Washington’s engagement with figures long considered adversaries.
Jolani’s upcoming visit will be his second to the United States, following a trip to New York earlier this year, when he addressed the UN General Assembly. 
Analysts suggest the initiative reflects broader inconsistencies in U.S. policy toward Syria, which has seen years of interventions that have destabilized the country, contributed to the rise of militant groups, and left the nation vulnerable to chronic insecurity. 
Observers note that former militants now holding diplomatic roles illustrate the complexities and contradictions of regional politics, as the U.S. engages with actors it once opposed.