RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia urged top European diplomats at a gathering Sunday to lift sanctions against Syria to boost rebuilding the country and its economy after last month’s overthrow of President Bashar Assad.

European and Middle Eastern diplomats met in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, to discuss Syria’s future. European countries and the U.S. have been wary over the Islamist roots of Syria’s new rulers — the former insurgents who drove Assad out of power — and have said ending sanctions depends on the progress of the political transition.

The interim government led by the former rebels has vowed to move to a pluralist, open system. It looks for international support as the country tries to recover from nearly 14 years of civil war that killed about 500,000 people and displaced half the prewar population of 23 million. The new Syrian foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, attended Sunday’s gathering.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said sanctions against “Assad’s henchmen who committed serious crimes” must remain in place.

But she called for “a smart approach to sanctions, providing rapid relief for the Syrian population. Syrians now need a quick dividend from the transition of power.” She announced an additional $51.2 million in German aid for food, emergency shelters and medical care.

The United States, European Union and some Arab nations began imposing sanctions after Assad’s brutal crackdown on the 2011 uprising against his rule and tightened them as the conflict spiraled into war. Some are on individuals in Assad’s government, including freezing of assets.

But many target the government in general, including bans on many financial and banking dealings, on oil purchases, and on investment or trade in some sectors, crippling the wider economy.

There are exemptions when it comes to humanitarian aid, but relief organizations have said overcompliance by financial institutions hinders their operations.

At the gathering, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said international and unilateral sanctions on Syria should be lifted.

Continuing them “will hinder the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people to achieve development and reconstruction,” he said. He praised steps so far by the interim government, including promises to start a political process “that includes various components” of the Syrian people.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who also attended the meeting, said European countries want to see a government that includes all of Syria’s religious and ethnic communities.

“We want to see inclusivity of women also in the process, so these are the things that we are going to discuss,” she said.

Last week, the U.S. eased some of its restrictions on Syria. It has also dropped a $10 million bounty it had offered for the capture of Ahmad al-Sharaa, a Syrian rebel leader formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, whose forces led the ouster of Assad.