Syria's foreign minister in Washington, a first in 25 years

Syria's foreign minister arrived in Washington on Thursday, the first official visit at that level in more than 25 years as the U.S. makes a pro-Damascus policy push, lifting sanctions and mediating between the new Islamist rulers and Israel.

Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani will meet U.S. lawmakers to discuss the lifting of remaining U.S. sanctions on his country, Senator Lindsey Graham was quoted as saying by Axios. Two sources familiar with the trip confirmed the visit to Reuters.

It comes after some senior U.S. diplomats focused on Syria were abruptly let go from their posts amid Washington's pivot, as the U.S. seeks to integrate its long-time Syrian Kurdish allies with the central administration of President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have called for federalism, something Sharaa and backer Turkey have refused.

The United States had placed crippling sanctions on Syria since 2011 after former leader Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Iran and Russia, violently cracked down protests against him that triggered a nearly 14-year civil war.

After he was toppled by Sharaa's Islamist-led forces in a quick sweep in December, Washington and Damascus have been working to warm up ties, with U.S. President Donald Trump announcing that he would move to lift the sanctions after meeting Sharaa in May.

The United States has also been mediating between Israel and Syria. Sharaa, who is due to visit New York next week for the UN General Assembly, said negotiations to reach a security pact with Israel could yield results "in the coming days."

Alaraby TV on Thursday quoted Sharaa as saying that Israel conducted a thousand strikes on Syria and more than 400 land incursions since 8 December when Assad's regime fell. Israel has said it wants a demilitarised southern Syria.