Diplomacy & Geopolitics
Syria hails removal from US terrorism sponsor list
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa hailed the United States' removal of Syria from its state sponsors of terrorism list, while Turkey's foreign ministry welcomed the US decision.
Sharaa called the move a major step for sanctions relief and reconstruction. “Today, Syria shakes off a dark stain and tears away a painful chapter of its past to embark on a path of development, reconstruction and rebuilding,” he said in a speech early Tuesday. He thanked US President Donald Trump and other countries that supported Syria.
Washington's decision on Monday rescinded a decades-old designation that carried severe economic restrictions. The US Treasury Department announced corresponding sanctions relief.
The US Department of State also revoked its designation of al-Nusra Front, later known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, as a global terrorist organisation. Sharaa led HTS, which spearheaded the offensive that toppled longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in 2024. HTS was formerly Al-Qaeda's branch in Syria before breaking ties with it in 2016.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move gave Syria “a path to prosperity” and removed major barriers to private-sector investment, economic recovery and reintegration into the global economy.
Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani called the delisting a “historic milestone” and said it reflected what he described as the new Syrian state's commitment to international peace and security. Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh called the decision a success for Syrian diplomacy, according to the official news agency SANA.
Syria's new authorities are trying to attract investment and rebuild infrastructure damaged by more than a decade of civil war. The United States had announced in July that it intended to remove Syria from the terrorism sponsor list.
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Turkey's foreign ministry welcomed the US decision to remove Syria from the terrorism sponsor list.
Source note: AFP news report published on 25 August 2026 at 06:59:32 UTC.
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Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa hailed the US removal of Syria from the state sponsors of terrorism list in an early Tuesday speech.
Sharaa thanked US President Donald Trump and countries that supported Syria.
Sharaa said Syria had shaken off a dark stain and was beginning a path of development, reconstruction and rebuilding.
Source note: AFP news report published on 25 August 2026 at 06:18:42 UTC.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the delistings gave Syrians “a path to prosperity.”
The Treasury Department said sanctions relief was in line with Trump's promise but did not change its posture on countering global terrorism.
The item adds background that the United States announced in July its intent to delist Syria and that Trump met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Turkey.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 20:44:59 UTC.
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Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani called the US delisting a historic milestone.
Al-Shaibani said the designation was tied to the former regime and was never the choice of the Syrian people.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 19:58:54 UTC.
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Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh called Washington's delisting a major and historic success for Syrian diplomacy.
Barnieh said the move opened a door to Syria's integration into the global economic and financial system, investment, modern technologies and development opportunities.
US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack called the end of the designation a decisive step in Syria's journey from isolation to partnership.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 19:38:45 UTC.
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The US Department of State also revoked its designation of al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, as a global terrorist organization.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the delistings removed what he called the final major barriers to private sector investment in Syria.
HTS was formerly Al-Qaeda's branch in Syria and broke ties with the jihadist group in 2016.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 19:38:24 UTC.
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Syria's central bank governor was identified as Safwat Raslan.
Raslan called the removal a historic step that restores Syria to what he called its natural place in the global economic system.
Raslan said the central bank was working to build a modern and reliable financial system.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 18:47:14 UTC.
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Syria's central bank head hailed the removal of Syria from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 18:39:21 UTC.
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The Treasury Department said the sanctions relief was in line with President Donald Trump's promise to deliver relief to Syria.
The Treasury Department said removing restrictions on Syria did not change its stance on countering global terrorism or holding bad actors in Syria accountable.
HTS was formerly Al-Qaeda's branch in Syria, broke ties with the group in 2016 and sought to soften its image.
The United States had announced in July that it intended to delist Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism.
President Donald Trump met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Turkey.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 18:31:39 UTC.
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The US Department of State revoked the designation of al-Nusrah Front as a specially designated global terrorist organization.
The Treasury Department followed with sanctions relief.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the action would help foster additional investment in Syria to promote political and economic stability.
The designation being rescinded was described as decades old and as having severely impeded investment.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 18:08:19 UTC.
Source
AFP news report published on .