US removes Syria from state sponsors of terrorism list after 47 years

The United States announced on Monday it has removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation that had been in place for 47 years. This decision marks another step in the progressive lifting of American sanctions on the country.

The Trump administration had signaled its intention to delist Syria in early July. The designation had previously restricted investments in the nation, occurring less than two years after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

In addition to removing Syria from the state sponsors of terrorism list, the U.S. also removed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as the Nusra Front, from its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists. HTS, once an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, announced its separation from the organization in 2016 and rebranded. Following his rise to power in December 2024, Ahmad al-Chareh, the president of HTS, announced the dissolution of all armed groups that had overthrown Bashar al-Assad, including his own organization.

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The Treasury is fulfilling President Trump's promise to give the Syrian people an opening for great things.

The U.S. Treasury Department removed HTS from its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, according to a statement. "The Treasury is fulfilling President Trump's promise to give the Syrian people an opening for great things," stated Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. He added that the "decisions made today will foster additional investment in Syria to promote the country's political and economic stability."

Many Western nations, including Canada and the United Kingdom, had gradually lifted sanctions on Syria starting in 2025. The European Union had already removed its sanctions in May 2025.

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The decisions made today will foster additional investment in Syria to promote the country's political and economic stability.