US Drops Syria From State Sponsor Of Terrorism List After Nearly 5 Decades
The United States has officially removed Syria from its state sponsor of terrorism list and revoked the terrorist designation of the al-Nusrah Front. The move is intended to encourage economic investment and stability following the transition of power in Syria.
Why it matters
This represents a major shift in US foreign policy in the Middle East, potentially opening the door for international investment and diplomatic normalization in post-Assad Syria.
The United States on Monday delisted Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, rescinding a decades-old designation that had severely impeded investment.The US Department of State also revoked its designation of al-Nusrah Front -- also known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) -- as a global terrorist organisation.The Treasury Department followed through with sanctions relief."Today's action will help foster additional investment in Syria to promote political and economic stability," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.Treasury said the moves were "in line with President (Donald) Trump's promise to deliver sanctions relief to Syria."But the agency stressed that its removal of restrictions on Syria "does not change Treasury's posture with regards to countering global terrorism and our commitment to hold bad actors in Syria accountable."HTS was…
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