The United States has removed Syria from its list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, ending a designation that had shaped Washington’s relationship with Damascus for nearly five decades.
The decision marks one of the clearest signs yet of a dramatic shift in US policy towards Syria following the collapse of former President Bashar al-Assad’s government and the emergence of a transitional administration led by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The US Department of the Treasury announced the move on Monday, August 24, confirming that Syria would no longer be subjected to restrictions imposed under the Terrorism List Governments Sanctions Regulations.
“The determination regarding Syria as a State Sponsor of Terrorism was rescinded,” the Treasury said.
Washington Opens A New Chapter With Damascus
The removal is expected to ease Syria’s path towards reconnecting with the global economy after years of isolation, war and crippling sanctions.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the decision could encourage fresh investment and support efforts to stabilise the country politically and economically.
“Today’s action will help foster additional investment in Syria to promote political and economic stability,” Bessent said.
For Syria’s new government, the announcement represents a major diplomatic victory.
Syrian Finance Minister Muhammad Yasser Bernia described the development as a “major and historic success for Syrian diplomacy,” saying it could help bring Syria closer to the international financial system.
According to him, the decision could open new opportunities for foreign investment, technology and development as the country attempts to rebuild after years of conflict.
“This represents a significant and final step in strengthening Syria’s connection to the global economic and financial system, attracting modern investments and technologies, and supporting development opportunities,” he said.
HTS Also Removed From US Terrorist Sanctions List
Washington’s announcement went beyond Syria’s removal from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list.
The US also removed Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from its Specially Designated Global Terrorist sanctions list.
HTS played a major role in the armed campaign that eventually brought an end to Assad’s rule.
The group, alongside other Syrian rebel factions, launched an offensive known as Operation Deterrence of Aggression on November 27, 2024.
Within 12 days, rebel forces had captured Damascus, bringing an end to the Assad family’s decades-long grip on power.
Following the fall of the government, HTS and affiliated armed groups were dissolved, while members of the movement became part of Syria’s new governing structure.
Al-Sharaa subsequently emerged as the country’s interim president.
From Jihadist Past To Syria’s New Leader
The transformation of Syria’s political landscape has also placed renewed attention on the remarkable journey of al-Sharaa.
Before becoming interim president, he was widely known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani and had a long history connected to jihadist movements.
He joined al-Qaeda in Iraq in 2003 and was later arrested by US forces in 2006, spending more than five years in detention.
After his release in 2011, as Syria descended into civil war, he established Jabhat al-Nusra, an armed group affiliated with al-Qaeda that fought against Assad’s government.
HTS later emerged in 2017 following the merger of several opposition factions.
Until December 2024, al-Sharaa remained on the US most-wanted list, with a $10 million bounty reportedly placed on him.
But Syria’s political upheaval has since forced a major rethink in Washington and other Western capitals.
The US later removed al-Sharaa from its Specially Designated Global Terrorist list, while also taking steps to ease restrictions on Syria.
Washington had earlier suspended key sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act, which had targeted the Syrian government, individuals and businesses involved with Damascus and severely restricted the country’s access to the global economy.
Syria has also joined the international coalition fighting ISIS, becoming the 90th partner in the alliance.
A New Relationship, But Old Questions Remain
The latest decision is part of a broader effort by Washington to engage Syria’s new leadership and support the country’s transition after the fall of Assad.
Syria had remained on the US terrorism sponsor list since the era of Hafez al-Assad, Bashar al-Assad’s father.
However, while the diplomatic thaw represents a significant breakthrough for Damascus, questions remain over the direction of al-Sharaa’s government.
Critics have raised concerns about his push for a more centralised system of government and the potential treatment of minority groups under the new political order.
His past links to jihadist organisations have also continued to fuel scepticism about whether Syria’s new leadership has permanently broken from its militant roots.
Still, Washington is not alone in reassessing its relationship with Damascus.
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In 2025, the United Kingdom and Canada also removed HTS from their respective terrorist organisation lists, signalling a growing willingness among Western governments to engage with Syria’s new administration.
For Syria, the removal from the US terrorism sponsor list could represent more than a symbolic diplomatic victory. After decades of sanctions, isolation and conflict, the country is now being offered a possible route back into the global political and economic system.
Whether the new chapter delivers stability, investment and reconstruction—or raises fresh concerns about power and governance—may ultimately determine how successful Syria’s extraordinary political transformation becomes.