The United States on Monday (August 24, 2026) removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism , rescinding a decades-old designation that came with severe economic restrictions and marking another step in warming ties between the countries.
Rebels led by HTS overthrew long-time Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, with the group’s leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, taking over as president as the country rebuilds after more than 13 years of civil war. The Treasury Department announced corresponding sanctions relief. The United States had initially announced in July its intent to delist Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, a move seen as a vote of confidence in Sharaa.
The U.S. Department of State also revoked its designation of al-Nusra Front — latterly known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — as a global terrorist organisation. Mr. Trump met on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Turkey with the Syrian President, a former jihadist who has sought to recast himself as a unifying figure after the toppling of the Assad family, which ruled with an iron fist for a half-century.
“Today’s action will help foster additional investment in Syria to promote political and economic stability,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. Treasury said the moves were “in line with President [Donald] Trump’s promise to deliver sanctions relief to Syria. Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani 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 .
