US removes Syria from list of state sponsors of terrorism
On August 24, the United States removed Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, revoking a long-standing designation that entailed strict economic restrictions. This was reported by Channel NewsAsia.
The US State Department also revoked the designation of the al-Nusra Front, later known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as a global terrorist organization. The US Treasury Department announced a corresponding easing of sanctions.
Sanctions easing
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the decision should facilitate additional investment in Syria and the country’s political and economic stability. The department noted that these steps fulfill President Donald Trump’s promise to ease sanctions against Syria.
At the same time, the US Treasury stressed that easing restrictions on Syria does not change its approach to countering global terrorism or its intention to hold bad actors in the country accountable. In July, the United States had already announced its intention to remove Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
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Reaction in Syria
HTS was previously called the al-Nusra Front and was Al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate. The group severed ties with the jihadist network in 2016. In December 2024, rebels led by HTS overthrew Syria’s long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad, and the group’s leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, became the country’s president.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said revoking these designations opens a “path to prosperity” for Syrians. According to him, the decision removes the last major barriers to private investment in Syria and promotes the recovery of its economy and its integration into the global economy.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani called Washington’s decision a “historic milestone” and said it reflects the new Syrian state’s commitment to international peace and security. Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh, according to the state agency SANA, described it as a success of Syrian diplomacy and an opportunity to attract investment and modern technologies and strengthen the country’s integration into the global financial system.
