US removes Syria from ‘state sponsor of terrorism’ list

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkThe US initially announced in July its intent to delist Syria as a state sponsor of 'terrorism' after US President Trump met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Turkiye. [File: Win McNamee/Getty Images]By Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and ReutersPublished On 24 Aug 202624 Aug 2026The United States has removed Syria from its list of “State Sponsors of Terrorism,” the US Treasury has announced.A statement issued on Monday confirmed the revocation of a decades-old designation placed on the country during the rule of the ousted Assad regime.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4US pressure on Israel needed for peace in Syrialist 2 of 4Envoy says Israel did not give the US notice before strikes on Syrian baselist 3 of 4Syria’s foreign minister says door open for diplomacy with Israellist 4 of 4US envoy Tom Barrack retracts comment that Syria’s Golan is occupiedend of listThe announcement confirms a decision initially revealed last month. It also revoked the designation of al-Nusrah Front – the group formerly led by the now-President Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – as a global “terrorist” organisation.The move, first announced earlier this year pending a review by Congress, removes a critical impediment to investment in Syria, as the country seeks to reestablish itself in the international community and markets.It represents a further vote of confidence in al-Sharaa, who has launched what many experts have described as a charm offensive aimed at Western powers, including meetings with President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.“Today’s action will help foster additional investment in Syria to promote political and economic stability,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement, adding that it is “in line with President Trump’s promise to deliver sanctions relief to Syria”.Having lifted sanctions on Syria in June 2025, alongside the European Union, the US announced in July its decision to delist Syria from its “terror” list, citing efforts by al-Sharaa to unify the country.HTS was once al-Qaeda’s official branch in Syria and was led by al-Sharaa. Under his leadership, the group removed former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 following a lightning offensive. The ⁠designation of the state carried restrictions on US foreign ⁠assistance, defence exports, and ⁠financial transactions, so Syria’s removal from the list is already being celebrated in the country, particularly by financial officials.The governor of Syria’s central bank, Safwat Raslan, said on X that this is “a historic step that restores the country to its natural place in the global economic system”. He added that the bank is “working to build a modern and reliable financial system”.Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh described Washington’s move as “a major and historic success for Syrian diplomacy”, according to the country’s official news agency SANA.It “opens a major and long-awaited door to strengthening Syria’s integration into the global economic and financial system, attracting investment and modern technologies, and supporting development opportunities”, he said.US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, meanwhile, called the end of the designation a “decisive step in Syria’s remarkable journey from isolation to partnership, and from a source of terrorism to a committed partner in the global fight against it”.