After 47 Years, US Removes Syria From List of State Sponsors of Terrorism

The administration of President Donald Trump has decided to remove Syria from the US list of countries that sponsor terrorism, 47 years after it was added. The move is intended to facilitate investment and support Syria’s return to the global economy.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the decision reflects measures taken by Syria’s new government to break away from international terrorism.

The change represents a significant shift in Washington’s approach toward Damascus. Relations with Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who had past ties to the jihadist group al-Qaeda, have improved during the Trump administration.

Meanwhile, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the organization that led the offensive which toppled Bashar al-Assad at the end of 2024, has also been removed from US lists of terrorist organizations. HTS was previously known as the al-Nusra Front and had served as al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch. Sharaa severed ties with the jihadist network in 2016.

Syria’s removal from the US list is expected to ease some of the main obstacles that have limited investment and economic activity in the country.

Rubio described the decision as a “path to prosperity” for the Syrian people. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measure could attract new investment and help political and economic stability. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani called it a “historic step” and said the government would work to overcome the consequences of Syria’s isolation.

Syria was added to the US list of state sponsors of terrorism in 1979. Following its removal, Cuba, North Korea and Iran remain on the list.

State sponsor of terrorism status carries severe financial restrictions, including barriers to US aid, exports and sales of defense equipment. The designation can also have consequences for companies and other countries that conduct transactions with the sanctioned country.

Despite the new US decision, Syria continues to face major political and security challenges. The new government has yet to build a fully representative system, while tensions with neighboring countries, including Israel and Turkey, remain high.

Washington aims for the new Syria to move closer to the West and remain outside the orbit of Russia and China.