The U.S. government also revoked the designation of HTS, once led by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, as a “terrorist” organization.
Published August 24, 2026
The US Treasury has announced that the US has removed Syria from its list of “state sponsors of terrorism.”
A statement released on Monday confirmed the revocation of the decades-old designation imposed on the country under the rule of the ousted Assad regime.
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The announcement confirms a decision first revealed last month. The designation of Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and once led by current president Ahmed al-Shara, as a global “terrorist” organization was also revoked.
The move, first announced earlier this year pending parliamentary review, removes a significant impediment to investment in Syria as the country seeks to reestablish itself in the international community and markets.
This represents a further vote of confidence for Al-Shara, who has launched what many experts describe as a charm offensive aimed at the West, including meetings with President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Today’s action will help encourage additional investment in Syria to promote political and economic stability,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement, adding, “Today’s actions are consistent with President Trump’s commitment to achieve sanctions relief for Syria.”
After lifting sanctions against Syria alongside the European Union in June 2025, the United States announced its decision to remove Syria from the “terrorist” category in July, citing Al Shara’s efforts to unify Syria.
HTS was once al-Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, led by al-Shara. Under his leadership, the group ousted former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 following a blitzkrieg attack.
Syria’s removal from the list has already been celebrated at home, particularly by Treasury officials, as the country’s designation included restrictions on U.S. foreign aid, defense exports, and financial transactions.
Syria’s Central Bank Governor Safwat Raslan told X that this is a “historic step that will return Syria to its rightful place in the global economic system.” He added that the bank is “committed to building a modern and reliable financial system.”
Syria’s Finance Minister Mohamed Barnier called the US government’s move “a huge and historic success for Syria’s diplomacy,” according to the country’s state news agency SANA.
This “opens a long-awaited major door to strengthen Syria’s integration into the global economic and financial system, attract investment and cutting-edge technology, and support development opportunities,” he said.
Meanwhile, US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said the end of the designation was “a decisive step in Syria’s remarkable march from isolation to partnership and from a source of terrorism to a committed partner in the global fight against Syria.”
