A senior U.S. diplomat informed Syria's new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, on Friday that Washington was withdrawing its reward for his arrest, praising "positive messages" from their discussions, including a commitment to combating terrorism.
"Based on our discussion, I told him we would not be pursuing the Rewards for Justice reward offer that has been in effect for some years," Barbara Leaf, the top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East, told reporters after her meeting in Damascus.
Leaf, part of the first formal visit by U.S. diplomats to Damascus since the early days of the brutal civil war, said "We welcomed positive messages" from al-Golani since his forces toppled dictator Bashar Assad.
"We will be looking for progress on these principles and actions, not just words," she said.
"I also communicated the importance of inclusion and broad consultation during this time of transition," she said.
"We fully support a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process that results in an inclusive and representative government that respects the rights of all Syrians, including women, and Syria's diverse ethnic and religious communities."
Leaf also told al-Golani that she expected Syria to completely end any role for Iran, the longtime ally of ousted strongman Assad.
"If I'm to judge by today, Iran will have no role whatsoever, and it shouldn't," Leaf told reporters.
