U.S. Removes Syria from List of State Sponsors of Terrorism After 47 Years

On Monday, the United States removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation the Arab country had held since 1979.

Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced the move via 'X': "Today, I formally rescinded Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. This action unlocks new potential for Syria’s economic revitalization and progress. The Trump Administration continues to advance U.S. national security to achieve peace, prosperity, and security in the Middle East."

The decision removes what Washington described as the last major barriers to private investment in the country and its reintegration into the global economy. Along with removing Syria from the list, the Trump administration also withdrew Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS),—the Islamist group leading the transitional administration of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa—from its list of global terrorist organizations.

HTS, formerly known as the al-Nusra Front, operated as the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda in Syria until Sharaa broke with the jihadist network in 2016. In late 2024, the group led the rebel offensive that toppled former President Bashar al-Assad, and today it controls a significant portion of the transitional government apparatus.

Sharaa, who once had a U.S. bounty on his head for his role as the leader of an Al Qaeda splinter group, became one of the Trump administration's closest partners in the region, as it seeks to bring Syria into its sphere of influence rather than that of Russia or China.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, noted that the measure "will help foster additional investment in Syria to promote political and economic stability." Speaking from Damascus, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani described the announcement as a "historic step" and assured that his government will continue working "to remove the effects of isolation and create an environment based on transparency, mutual interests and respect."

With Syria's removal, the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism is now reduced to just three countries: Cuba, North Korea, and Iran. The designation entails financial sanctions and restrictions on foreign aid and U.S. defense exports, in addition to penalizing third parties that engage in trade with the sanctioned country.