Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa hailed on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) the United States’ removal of his country from the state sponsors of terror list, a major sanctions relief step for a country aiming to boost post-war reconstruction.
Also read | U.S. removes Syria from state sponsor of terrorism list
“Today, Syria shakes off a dark stain and tears away a painful chapter of its past to embark on a path of development, reconstruction and rebuilding,” Mr. Sharaa said in a speech.
Washington’s decision on Monday (August 24) rescinded a decades-old designation that came with severe economic restrictions, marking another step in warming ties between the countries following the 2024 ouster of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad.
Mr. Sharaa expressed his “many thanks to the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, and to all the friendly and supportive nations that stood by us”.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement that Monday’s (August 24) move “will help foster additional investment in Syria to promote political and economic stability”.
But the Treasury 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”.
Economic opportunities
The U.S. Department of State also revoked its designation of the al-Nusra Front — later known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — as a global terrorist organisation. Mr. Sharaa led that group, which spearheaded the blitz offensive that toppled Assad.
It was formerly the branch of Al-Qaeda in Syria before breaking ties with it in 2016.
The United States listed Syria as a “state sponsor of terrorism” in 1979, accusing the country, then under the rule of Hafez al-Assad, father of Bashar, of supporting Palestinian militant groups and other armed movements in neighbouring Lebanon.
Sanctions were expanded in later years, particularly after the brutal repression of pro-democracy protests in 2011, leading to the Syrian civil war.
In recent years, Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism has been primarily linked to Assad’s relationship with Iran and his support for Tehran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah.
Mr. Sharaa and his government have been working to mend ties with Washington since toppling Assad and have been trying to attract foreign investment to support post-war reconstruction.
The World Bank estimates reconstruction to cost more than $216 billion.
In July last year, U.S. President Donald Trump began lifting sanctions, and Mr. Sharaa visited Washington a few months later.
“Removing Syria from the terror list appears to be a final step towards restoring Syria’s standing on the world stage,” Ammar Youssef, commercial law expert and economic analyst told AFP.
The step paves the way for “banks to open branches in Syria… banking transactions and transfers between Syria and other countries, and for the possibility of introducing essential technologies and software into Syria, which will lead to a more open Syrian economy”, he added.
“We will see what the response will be…and how companies and governments will react to these decisions.”
‘Path to prosperity’
Monday’s (August 24) move gave Syria “a path to prosperity”, according to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The action “eliminates the final major barriers for private sector investment in Syria and promotes Syria’s economic recovery and reintegration into the global economy,” he said in a statement.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani on Monday (August 24) described Washington’s delisting as a “historic milestone” and said it reflected “the new Syrian state’s commitment to international peace and security”.
Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh described the move as a “success for Syrian diplomacy,” according to the official news agency SANA.
It “opens a major and long-awaited door to strengthening Syria’s integration into the global economic and financial system, attracting investment and modern technologies, and supporting development opportunities”.
Several countries welcomed the U.S. move.
Turkey, a key backer of Syria’s new authorities, said the decision will “lend momentum to efforts to strengthen Syria’s ties with the international community and to establish lasting security and stability in the country”.
Published – August 25, 2026 10:40 pm IST
