Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa told a US congressman that he is interested in normalizing relations with Israel, Bloomberg New reported.

Al-Sharaa conveyed the remarks to Republican Congressman Cory Mills, while setting conditions for the move, which were not detailed in the report.

Mills and Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN)  traveled to Syria on Friday on an unofficial visit arranged by the US-based nonprofit Syrian-American Alliance for Peace and Prosperity, which is lobbying the US government to lift the sanctions imposed on the former Syrian regime.

The two US lawmakers, the first to visit Syria since the fall of the Assad regime, held talks with Al-Sharaa about economic sanctions and peace between Syria and Israel. Mills gave A-Sharaa a letter from President Trump detailing US concerns about the new regime.

“I am cautiously optimistic and look to maintain open dialogue,” Mills told Bloomberg, adding that Al-Sharaa wrote a letter to Trump in return.

Mills spoke with Al-Sharaa about the Trump administration’s conditions for the sanctions to be lifted, including the destruction of any chemical weapons left in the country from the Assad regime and Syria’s coordination with counterterrorism initiatives with US allies. Syria would also be required to provide assurances to Israel, which is highly distrustful of Al-Shaara and is opposed to the US relief of sanctions.

The congressman confirmed the remarks in a conversation with the media and said that Syria wants to be a good neighbor and maintain relations with Israel.

“They share a border with each other, it’s important that Israel and Syria have strong relations,” the congressman said. “I think Al-Shaara and his government have proven their willingness to work with Israel and prevent weapons from being transferred out through Syria and into Lebanon.”

“Al-Sharaa was very clear that he is looking to establish and maintain a strong relationship with Israel, that he wants to be a good neighbor, and therefore I think this is very encouraging, for the American people, and for Trump who established the historic and monumental Abraham Accords,” Mills said.

According to the report, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are willing to help Syria financially, but are currently blocked from doing so due to the US sanctions.

Mill’s visit came days after the US began to withdraw hundreds of its troops from Syria.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)