The United States formally removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism on Monday, the Treasury Department announced, ending a decades-old designation that had been in place during the rule of the ousted Assad regime.
The announcement also revoked the terrorist designation of al-Nusrah Front, the group formerly known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which was led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, who now serves as Syria's president. Al-Sharaa's forces removed former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 following a rapid military offensive.
The move had been signaled earlier this year, according to Al Jazeera, pending a congressional review. The U.S. lifted sanctions on Syria in June 2025, alongside the European Union, and announced in July its intention to remove the terrorism designation. Monday's announcement made it official.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent framed the decision in economic terms. "Today's action will help foster additional investment in Syria to promote political and economic stability," Bessent said in a statement, adding that it is "in line with President Trump's promise to deliver sanctions relief to Syria."
The terrorism designation had blocked U.S. foreign assistance, restricted defense exports, and limited financial transactions with Syria. Its removal is expected to open avenues for international investment as the country attempts to rebuild its institutions and reintegrate into global markets.
Syrian officials welcomed the announcement. The governor of Syria's central bank, Safwat Raslan, wrote on X that the decision is "a historic step that restores the country to its natural place in the global economic system," and said the bank is "working to build a modern and reliable financial system." Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh described the move as "a major and historic success for Syrian diplomacy," according to the country's official news agency SANA, saying it "opens a major and long-awaited door to strengthening Syria's integration into the global economic and financial system, attracting investment and modern" infrastructure.
Al-Sharaa has pursued outreach to Western governments since taking power, including meetings with both President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron. The delisting represents a concrete outcome of those diplomatic efforts and removes one of the most significant structural barriers to foreign investment in Syria.
