USA removed Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism
The easing of restrictions on the Al-Shara administration began as early as June 2025, paving the way for the announcement. At the NATO summit a month ago, President Donald Trump delivered a letter to the Syrian president, promising: "We will make your country more prosperous than ever before."
The US Department of State removed Syria today, Monday, from the list of countries defined as state sponsors of terrorism, the US Department of the Treasury announced. This is a move that was first announced earlier this year, subject to Congressional review.
As early as June 2025, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order granting sanctions relief to Damascus following counter-terrorism actions taken by the new Syrian government led by President Ahmad Al-Shara. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the move at the time, stating that Al-Shara had provided assurances that his country would no longer support acts of terrorism in the future:
"The lifting of sanctions on Syria will open up international trade and investment, give it an opportunity to rebuild, and open a new chapter for the Syrian people."
Trump and Al-Shara met last month at the NATO summit in Ankara, where the American president delivered a letter to his Syrian counterpart:
"I promised to remove all barriers preventing you from rebuilding your country, and very soon you will finally be able to do so. We have American companies ready to invest in Syria and help make your country greater and more prosperous than ever before."
The designation of a country as a state sponsor of terrorism carries with it restrictions on US foreign aid, defense exports, and certain financial transactions. By signing the executive order, Trump paved the way for ending Syria's isolation from the international financial system. Currently, several Saudi companies are planning investments worth billions of dollars as part of Riyadh's efforts to support the reconstruction of Damascus, while other countries in the Persian Gulf have also pledged to provide financial aid.
Since the fall of the Assad regime at the end of 2024, the new administration, led by Al-Shara, has received widespread support globally. In recent months, Al-Shara has been working consistently to establish his status. He flew to Europe for a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and then-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron in Damascus.
