The US has initiated steps to remove Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, marking progress toward its international reintegration, which includes joining the coalition against ISIS, lifting some sanctions, and supporting reconstruction.
Reuters quoted a senior US administration official, whom it did not name, as saying that Donald Trump had informed Congress of his decision to revoke Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, starting a mandatory 45-day legal review period after which the decision will take effect unless Congress objects.
After meeting interim Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said in a letter delivered to Al-Sharaa, “I promised to remove all barriers stopping you from rebuilding your country, and very soon, you will finally be able to do so,” stressing that he had fulfilled his pledge and begun the necessary legal procedures.
“We have US companies ready to invest in Syria and help make your country greater and more prosperous than ever before,” Trump added.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the move aimed to “give Syria a chance to rebuild, and open up a new chapter for the Syrian people,” noting that removing Syria from the list would open the door to international trade and investment and give it a chance to end its economic isolation and begin a new phase of reconstruction.
Rubio added that the decision was based on what he described as “positive changes and counterterrorism actions” taken by the Syrian government under Al-Sharaa, as well as guarantees from Damascus that it would not support international terrorism in the future.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani welcomed the move, saying it “closed a dark chapter in Syria’s history” linked to its inclusion on the list since 1979 because of the policies of the former regime under the Assad dynasty.
Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism imposes restrictions related to US foreign assistance, defense exports, and some financial transactions.
Last year, Trump signed an executive order ending the US sanctions program on Syria, allowing the country to be reconnected to the international financial system.
The latest move came as part of a broader effort to reintegrate Syria internationally after the fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s rule at the hands of armed opposition forces led by Al-Sharaa, formerly Al-Golani, and Trump’s pledge to “do everything he can to make Syria successful” during a meeting with Al-Sharaa in Washington.
At the time, Trump described Al-Sharaa as a “tough guy,” while Al-Sharaa said his country had become a “geopolitical ally” of the United States and was seeking to attract investment, especially in the energy sector. He also announced Syria’s accession to the international coalition against ISIS in November 2025.
That same month, the United States and the United Kingdom lifted sanctions imposed on Al-Sharaa and his interior minister after a similar move by the UN Security Council, while the European Union announced its intention to take similar measures.
Syria has been on the list since 1979, based on US accusations that the former regime supported armed Palestinian factions, maintained a close alliance with Iran, and backed organizations Washington classifies as “terrorist groups,” including Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Under US law, removing a country from the list requires the president to certify that the government in question has not supported international terrorism in the previous six months and to provide assurances that it will not do so in the future. The decision is then subject to a 45-day congressional review before taking effect.
