U.S. eases sanctions on Syria opening doors to investment
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued on Friday evening a general license authorizing a significant easing of sanctions on Syria.
The move includes lifting restrictions on several senior officials and state institutions, including Syrian Transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Interior Minister Anas Khattab, and various government-owned companies.
According to the official statement, General License 25 permits activities previously banned under U.S. sanctions regulations targeting Syria, effectively amounting to a broad rollback of those measures.
The Treasury stated that the license is intended to create new opportunities for private sector investment, aligning with the “America First” strategy championed by President Donald Trump.
Simultaneously, the U.S. Department of State announced a waiver under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, aimed at shielding Syrian civilians. This measure will enable international partners and regional allies to increase their contributions to Syria’s economic revitalization.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated “Today’s actions represent the first step in delivering on the President’s vision of a new relationship between Syria and the United States. President Trump is providing the Syrian government with the chance to promote peace and stability, both within Syria and in Syria’s relations with its neighbors.” He further added that Trump expects the Syrian transitional government to take action following the easing of sanctions.
The Treasury’s statement emphasized “This is just one part of a broader U.S. government effort to remove the full architecture of sanctions imposed on Syria due to the abuses of the Bashar al-Assad regime.”
“The Assad regime’s brutality against its own people and support for terrorism in the region has come to an end,” the Treasury declared. “A new chapter unfolds for the Syrian people. The United States (U.S.) government is committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors.”
The easing of sanctions, the statement explained, applies to the new Syrian government under President al-Sharaa, based on its commitment to exclude terrorist organizations and protect the rights of religious and ethnic minorities. “The U.S. will continue monitoring Syria’s progress and developments on the ground.”
General License 25 is described as a critical first step in fulfilling President Trump’s May 13 announcement to lift sanctions on Syria.
While the license paves the way for economic activity across various sectors of Syria’s economy, it does not provide exemptions for individuals or groups implicated in terrorism, human rights abuses, war crimes, narcotics trafficking, or ties to the former al-Assad regime.
The license also explicitly prohibits transactions involving the governments of Russia, Iran, and North Korea, or any transfer of goods, technologies, funds, or services to or from those countries.
Additionally, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a separate exemption allowing U.S. financial institutions to maintain correspondent accounts for the Syrian Commercial Bank.
This shift in policy follows President Trump’s announcement at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum on May 13, where he confirmed the decision to lift sanctions after consultations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In parallel, the European Union announced last week the lifting of all its economic sanctions on Syria, citing the need to support the country’s reconstruction and humanitarian recovery.
Together, the U.S. and EU decisions mark a historic turning point, opening the door for expanded humanitarian operations, foreign investment, and commercial trade as Syria embarks on a new phase of national rebuilding.