US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to lift huge sanctions from Syria, a move that will open doors for investments in the country over six years after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad. The US Treasury stated that Trump’s announcement yesterday offers sanction relief to entities critical to Syria’s development, the rebuilding of the nation’s social fabric, and government operations.
Syria has been under a harsh web of US financial sanctions that preceded the outbreak of the civil war in the country in 2011. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shaibani welcomed Trump’s decision in a statement, saying it will unlock new ways for long-awaited reconstruction and development in the country. He added that it will open the land to the global community and will remove the hurdles against economic recovery.
The extensive sanctions against the country have derailed growth and reconstruction efforts, while they have contributed to driving the Syrian economy under al-Assad to the Verge of collapse. President Trump visited the Middle East in May, where he vowed to give relief to Syria against sanctions.
Yesterday, he stated that the US is committed to supporting a united, stable, and peaceful Syrian government within the country and its neighbors. Trump added that a united Syria that forbids terrorist organizations and ensures the security of its ethnic and religious minorities will back regional affluence and security.
Will Syria be free from all Sanctions?
The Trump administration said Syria-related sanctions against al-Assad and his allies, ISIS, Iran, and its allies, remain in place. While the US Treasury stated that it had already removed 518 Syrian individuals and entities from its list of sanctions, some Syrian penalties may not be revoked instantly. The US president ordered US agencies to find whether the conditions are met to remove penalties slapped under the Caesar Act, which allows heavy sanctions against the Syrian government for alleged war crimes against civilians.
Earlier this week, Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar collaborated with Republican lawmaker Anna Paulina Luna to introduce a bill that would legislatively lift sanctions on Syria, offering long-term relief. As part of the US president’s order, Trump directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to review the designation of interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
Trump has authorized a review of the status of al-Sharaa’s organization, al-Nusra Front – currently known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – as a designated foreign terrorist organization. Al-Nusra was originally al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria; however, al-Sharaa distanced himself from the group in 2016.
Al-Nusra rebranded itself as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham before merging with other rebel factions under the banner of HTS. Al-Sharaa served as the de facto leader of a rebel enclave situated in Idlib in the northwestern region of Syria for several years, prior to leading the campaign that resulted in the overthrow of al-Assad in December 2024.
Trump Praised the Syrian Leader
In May, President Trump held a meeting with al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia and praised the Syrian leader as “attractive” and “tough.” The interim Syrian president, formerly known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Julani, has made commitments to inclusive governance to allay concerns regarding his historical affiliations with al-Qaeda.
Acts of violence and kidnappings targeting members of al-Assad’s Alawite sect by former rebel combatants over recent months have prompted apprehension among certain human rights advocates. Al-Sharaa has pledged that Syria will not constitute a threat to its neighboring states, including Israel, which has been expanding into Syrian territory beyond the occupied Golan Heights and conducting regular airstrikes within the country.
