Lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria depends on type, legal basis – Expert
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The process for lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria depends on the type and legal basis of the sanctions, an international crisis management expert told North Press on Wednesday.
Isaac Andakian said “There are two categories of sanctions, those issued through executive orders signed by the U.S. President, and those enacted into law by Congress—such as the Caesar Act of 2019 and the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003.”
Speaking from Washington, Andakian noted that sanctions legislated by Congress are particularly difficult to revoke. “Under the principle of legal parity, sanctions imposed by law require a new act of Congress to repeal them. This makes the process more complex and time-consuming, as it demands political consensus within the legislative branch.”
On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced from Riyadh that he would halt sanctions on Syria to offer the Syrian transitional government a new opportunity.
Andakian clarified that executive sanctions, in contrast, are much easier to reverse. “Sanctions imposed via executive orders can be undone by the President through new executive directives, granting Trump significant flexibility to act swiftly upon returning to office.”
He added that Trump’s use of the word “cessation” rather than “lifting” in his statement signals a likely strategy of gradual easing. “This suggests a phased approach—starting with the removal of certain economic restrictions aimed at stimulating the Syrian economy—conditioned on clear commitments from Syria’s transitional government, particularly concerning human rights improvements and protections for minorities such as Christians, Alawites, and Kurds.”
Andakian warned that a full repeal of sanctions without credible reforms from the Syrian regime could backfire. “Such a move might undermine Trump’s domestic popularity and place regional allies like Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—who reportedly supported this direction—in a politically awkward position.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham commented on Tuesday that President Trump lacks the authority to unilaterally remove Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, emphasizing that only Congress has the power to make such a change.