US removes Syria from list of state sponsors of terrorism
The United States has removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism after 47 years, eliminating one of the main remaining barriers to investment and the country’s reintegration into the global economy.
The US State Department rescinded Syria’s designation on Aug. 24, while the Treasury Department also removed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group that led the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, from its sanctions list.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the decision recognized “positive actions” by the Syrian government to distance itself from international terrorism.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the move would help encourage investment in Syria and promote political and economic stability.
Syria had been designated a state sponsor of terrorism since 1979. Its removal leaves only three countries on the US list: Cuba, Iran and North Korea.
The designation carries restrictions including financial sanctions and limits on US foreign assistance and defense exports.
The Trump administration has moved to deepen ties with Syria’s new government since Assad’s regime was overthrown in late 2024. Syria is now led by transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former leader of HTS, who once had a $10 million US bounty on his head.
HTS, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, was once al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate before severing ties with the group in 2016. The US revoked HTS’s designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in July 2025. The latest decision removes its separate designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist and takes the group off the Treasury Department’s sanctions list.