The United States removed Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism after 47 years
Kyiv • UNN
Washington officially removed Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. The decision is expected to pave the way for investment and economic recovery.
On August 24, the United States officially removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, where the country had been listed since 1979. The decision paves the way for new investment and is expected to promote Syria’s political and economic stability. This was reported by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, UNN writes.
Details
According to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, removing Syria from the list should create conditions for attracting investment and the country’s economic recovery. The decision was another step by Washington toward deepening engagement with Syria’s new authorities following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late 2024.
Syria remained on the list of state sponsors of terrorism for more than four decades. The United States added it to the list in December 1979 because of the support provided to terrorist organizations by the Syrian regime at the time.
The U.S. decision regarding Syria
In July, Washington announced its intention to remove Syria from the list. The final decision took effect after a 45-day review period by Congress.
Syria’s removal is viewed as a sign of trust in the country’s president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, who met with U.S. President Donald Trump last month. According to Reuters, as part of the agreements, Syria also promised to significantly reduce its imports of Russian oil.
At the same time, the Syrian authorities are seeking to attract foreign investment to rebuild the economy after years of war. Removal from the list of state sponsors of terrorism eliminates one of the key obstacles to international business and financial cooperation with Syria.
Who remains on the list
After Syria’s removal, Cuba, Iran, and North Korea remain on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. For countries on this list, Washington imposes restrictions, including on foreign assistance, arms trade, exports of dual-use goods, and certain financial transactions.
The change in U.S. policy toward Syria came after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late 2024. Assad left the country with his family, after which power passed to a new administration headed by Ahmad al-Sharaa.
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