United States removes Syria from arms export ban

The Trump administration is removing Syria from the list of countries prohibited from purchasing or importing U.S. weaponry. According to a notice in the Federal Register, the State Department is amending its International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) so that Syria is no longer subject to a policy of denial for arms export licenses.

Effective Thursday, arms sales requests from Syria will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. This move follows previous actions to ease sanctions on the new government in Damascus, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s decision in August to rescind Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. The State Department has also announced plans to reopen the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, which has been closed for 14 years.

The policy shift comes under the interim presidency of Ahmad al-Sharaa, who overthrew the Bashar Assad government nearly two years ago. The administration's engagement follows a period of policy changes aimed at fostering stability and preventing the resurgence of Islamic State insurgency in the region.