The UN Secretary-General has called for the "immediate" lifting of sanctions imposed on Syria during the Assad regime.

Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, called on Sunday, at a press conference in Damascus, for the "immediate" lifting of all economic sanctions imposed on Syria during Bashar al-Assad's time in power.

This was the first visit by a UN Secretary-General to Syria since 2009. Guterres welcomed recent measures that have relaxed sanctions but emphasized that it is essential for all restrictions to be lifted to allow the country's economic recovery.

After Assad's removal in December 2024, the new Syrian authorities, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, have focused on the reconstruction of the country, estimated by the World Bank at 216 billion dollars, according to DCNews.

Guterres highlighted the importance of investing in the Syrian people and economy, as well as the need to restore essential services and infrastructure.