The United States has removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, ending a designation that had been in place since 1979 and opening the way for greater economic engagement with Damascus. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa called the decision historic and said it would help the country move toward recovery, reconstruction and development after 14 years of civil war.
The decision took effect Monday after a 45-day congressional review period. US President Donald Trump formally notified Congress on July 8 that he intended to rescind the designation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move recognized “the positive actions taken and further commitments” by al-Sharaa to “fully distance Syria from acts of international terrorism.”
Al-Sharaa welcomed the decision in a statement on X, thanking Trump and describing it as the removal of a painful chapter in Syria's past. He said the country was now seeking to enter “the realm of development, reconstruction, and building.”
Syria was placed on the US terrorism list in 1979, when Washington accused the government of then-President Hafez al-Assad of supporting armed groups. The designation remained throughout the rule of his son, Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted in December 2024 by rebels led by al-Sharaa.
