DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met on Sunday with representatives of Syrian-American organizations in Washington, coming ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump in the White House scheduled for Monday.

According to Syrian state media, Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani also attended the meeting, which saw participants discuss strengthening Syria’s presence in American society and reinforcing ties between Syrians abroad and their homeland.

Sharaa praised the organizations for raising awareness about Syrian issues and for their support of national causes, describing their efforts as "vital in deepening connections with the homeland."

The president arrived in the United States late Saturday and is set to be the first Syrian leader to visit the Oval Office.

Ahead of the face-to-face, the US Treasury Department on Sunday announced that it has removed Sharaa and Syrian Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab from its "Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List."

The department said the decision was “in line with President Trump’s efforts to give Syria a chance at greatness,” coming as Washington seeks to alleviate economic pressure imposed on Damascus by lifting sanctions.

The US State Department on Friday announced that it has removed Sharaa from its list of "Specially Designated Global Terrorists," with a spokesperson saying that "these actions are being taken in recognition of the progress demonstrated by the Syrian leadership after the departure of Bashar al-Assad and more than 50 years of repression under the Assad regime."

Trump first met with the Syrian leader in Riyadh in May, marking a seminal moment in Damascus' international posture following the overthrow of Assad in December by Sharaa's Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces.

The meeting came one day after Trump made a landmark decision to remove all sanctions on Syria in order to give them “a chance at greatness.”

Shaibani in early November described Sharaa's upcoming Washington visit as "historic," adding that "many topics will be discussed, starting with the lifting of sanctions."

The Syrian top diplomat also referenced counterterrorism cooperation against the Islamic State (ISIS), saying that "any effort in this regard requires international support."

US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack on November 1 expressed his hopes that Damascus will soon join the US-led Global Coalition against ISIS.