United States removes Syria from State Sponsors of Terrorism list

The United States has removed Syria from its list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, ending a designation that lasted approximately 47 years. The decision follows written assurances from the transitional government, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, that it will not support international terrorism. This move follows the dissolution of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Syria's decision to join the US-led coalition against ISIS.

U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stated the removal recognizes the positive steps and additional commitments made by the new Damascus administration. The decision is viewed as a strategic move to encourage Syria to distance itself from Russian influence and move toward normalizing relations with Israel. Reports indicate that Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani and Israeli Mossad Director Roman Gofman recently met to discuss establishing a US-sponsored joint operations room as part of ongoing security negotiations.

While the removal of the designation is a significant step toward lifting economic sanctions, including those under the Caesar Act, officials noted that the US maintains the authority to reimpose sanctions if Damascus fails to meet political priorities. Despite the diplomatic shift, tensions remain, as evidenced by recent Israeli airstrikes within Syria and President al-Sharaa's recent discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the future of Russian military bases in the country.