US removes Syria from state sponsor of terrorism list

The United States has delisted Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, rescinding a decades-old designation that had severely impeded investment.

The US Department of State also revoked its designation of al-Nusrah Front — also known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — as a global terrorist organization.

The Treasury Department followed through with sanctions relief.

“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.”

But the agency stressed that its removal of restrictions on Syria “does not change Treasury’s posture with regards to countering global terrorism and our commitment to hold bad actors in Syria accountable.”

HTS was earlier known as Al-Nusra Front and was formerly the branch of Al-Qaeda in Syria. But it broke ties with the jihadist group in 2016 and sought to soften its image.

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 leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The step came as Trump met on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Turkey with Sharaa, a former jihadist who has sought to recast himself as a unifying figure after the 2024 toppling of the Assad family, which ruled with an iron fist for a half-century.