The U.S. Congress on Wednesday voted to permanently repeal sanctions imposed on Syria during the rule of Bashar Assad, a move aimed at clearing the way for foreign investment and economic recovery in the war-torn country.
President Donald Trump had already twice suspended the implementation of sanctions, in response to pleas from Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, allies of the new government headed by Ahmed al-Sharaa.
But Sharaa had sought a permanent end to the sanctions, fearing that so long as the measures remained on the books they would deter businesses wary of legal risks in the world's largest economy.
The Senate passed the repeal of the 2019 Caesar Act as part of a sweeping annual defense package. The Senate voted 77 to 20 in favor of the legislation, which was already approved by the House of Representatives and is expected to be signed by Trump.
The repeal, broadly backed by lawmakers of both parties, "is a decisive step toward giving the Syrian people a real chance to rebuild after decades of unimaginable suffering," said Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
