US lifts sanctions on Syria

The US Treasury Department has issued a general license that allows for transactions involving the Syrian interim government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, as well as the country's central bank and state-owned enterprises.

GL25 will enable new investment and private sector activity in line with the President's "America First" strategy.

In addition, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued a 180-day waiver under the Caesar Act to ensure that restrictions do not hinder investment and facilitate the provision of electricity, energy, water and sanitation, and humanitarian efforts.

Today's actions are the first step in realizing the President's vision for a new relationship between Syria and the United States.

Marco Rubio

US Secretary of State

He added that Trump has made it clear that he expects sanctions relief to be accompanied by action from the Syrian government.

The White House said after Trump met with al-Sharaa last week that the US leader had asked Syria to meet several conditions in exchange for sanctions relief, including a request for all foreign fighters to leave Syria, the deportation of those Trump described as Palestinian terrorists, and assistance to the United States in preventing the resurgence of ISIS.

President Trump is giving the Syrian government a chance to promote peace and stability both within Syria and in Syria's relations with its neighbors, Rubio said.

It is noted that the general license also listed Syrian Arab Airlines, the Central Bank of Syria and a number of other banks, several state-owned oil and gas companies, and the Four Seasons Damascus hotel.

Syria welcomed the lifting of US sanctions on the morning of May 24. The country's Foreign Ministry called it "a positive step in the right direction to alleviate the country's humanitarian and economic suffering."

Most of the US sanctions against Syria were imposed on the government of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and key figures in 2011 after the country's civil war began.