U.S. removes Syria from State Sponsors of Terrorism list
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The U.S. Department of State on Monday removed Syria from its designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, delivering on President Donald Trump’s pledge to ease sanctions on the country.
The State Department said the decision means Syria is no longer subject to prohibitions under the Terrorism List Governments Sanctions Regulations (TLGSR) or the relevant provisions of US law.
The move marks a significant step in Washington’s policy toward Syria and removes one of the key U.S. terrorism-related restrictions imposed on the country.
Separately, the State Department revoked the designation of al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) organization.
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also removed HTS from its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, according to the announcement.
As a result of the changes, Syria General License 25, which had authorized certain transactions that could otherwise have been prohibited because of HTS’s role in the Syrian government, is no longer necessary.
OFAC therefore revoked the general license and updated its guidance on Syria-related sanctions, including FAQs 1220, 1221 and 1222. It also removed FAQ 1223.
The decisions come as the Trump administration moves to provide broader sanctions relief to Syria following changes in US policy toward Damascus.
The removal of Syria from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list is separate from other US sanctions measures and does not, by itself, eliminate all remaining restrictions applicable to Syria or Syrian-related transactions.
The State Department and Treasury said the changes were made in line with the administration’s broader efforts to implement sanctions relief promised by Trump.