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US removes Syria from State Sponsor of Terrorism list

Created at 24 Aug · 5:31 PM1 source↑ Market-relevant
IN SHORT

The U.S. State Department has removed Syria from its list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, a move fulfilling a promise by President Trump. The designation revocation also includes al-Nusrah Front (HTS).

Key Numbers

August 24, 2026date of designation revocation

Who's Involved

U.S. State Department
removed Syria from State Sponsors of Terrorism list
President Trump
promised sanctions relief to Syria
al-Nusrah Front
also known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), designation revoked
OFAC
removed HTS from SDN List

↳ Why This Matters

The removal of Syria's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism eases U.S. sanctions, potentially impacting international relations, trade, and aid efforts in the region. It also signifies a shift in U.S. policy towards Syria.

Key facts

  • Syria has been removed from the U.S. State Department's list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
  • The decision fulfills a promise made by President Trump to provide sanctions relief to Syria.
  • The al-Nusrah Front (HTS) has also had its designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization revoked.
  • Consequently, Syria is no longer subject to specific prohibitions under U.S. sanctions regulations.
  • An updated advisory on sanctions and export controls relief for Syria has been issued by the U.S. Departments of Commerce, State, and Treasury.

The U.S. State Department officially removed Syria from its list of State Sponsors of Terrorism on Monday, August 24, 2026. This action fulfills a commitment made by President Trump to provide sanctions relief to the country. The revocation means Syria is no longer subject to specific prohibitions under the Terrorism List Governments Sanctions Regulations.

In conjunction with this decision, the State Department also revoked the designation of al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) organization. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) subsequently removed HTS from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List). As a result, OFAC has revoked General License (GL) 25, which had previously authorized certain transactions that could have been prohibited due to HTS's role in the Syrian government.

Furthermore, the U.S. Departments of Commerce, State, and Treasury jointly issued an updated Tri-Seal Advisory detailing sanctions and export controls relief for Syria. The announcement also included updates to OFAC's Iran sanctions programs, with new names added to the SDN List and certain general licenses suspended or issued.

Frequently asked questions

It means Syria is no longer subject to specific prohibitions under U.S. sanctions regulations related to terrorism sponsorship, potentially easing restrictions on trade and financial transactions.

Al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was a designated terrorist organization whose designation has now been revoked by the U.S. Department of State.

GL 25 authorized certain transactions involving HTS. Its revocation indicates that such specific authorizations are no longer necessary following the removal of HTS from the SDN List.

What Happens Next

01Syria is no longer subject to specific prohibitions under U.S. sanctions regulations.
02OFAC has revoked General License (GL) 25.
03An updated Tri-Seal Advisory on sanctions and export controls relief for Syria has been issued.

How It Developed

The U.S. State Department removed Syria from its list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
The designation revocation fulfills a promise made by President Trump.
Syria is no longer subject to prohibitions under the Terrorism List Governments Sanctions Regulations.
The U.S. Department of State revoked the designation of al-Nusrah Front (HTS) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization.
The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) removed HTS from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.
OFAC revoked General License (GL) 25, which authorized certain transactions involving HTS.
The U.S. Departments of Commerce, State, and Treasury issued an updated Tri-Seal Advisory on sanctions and export controls relief for Syria.

Sources

T1
US removes Syria's designation as State Sponsor of TerrorismReuters
T2
PDF Syria's State Sponsor of Terrorism Designationcongress.gov
T2
Removal of Syria's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism and ...ofac.treasury.gov

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