On August 24 local time, U.S. Secretary of State John Rubio issued a statement saying that he had approved the official cancellation of the United States' designation of Syria as a "terrorist state," and the removal of the "Free Syrian Army" from the list of terrorist organizations recognized by the United States.
Lubio stated that the Syrian transitional government has taken several measures to combat terrorism, including joining the United States-led coalition against the extremist group ISIS last November. Removing such restrictions would eliminate the “last obstacle to private enterprise investing in Syria,” thereby helping to “promote Syria’s economic recovery and reintegration into the global economy.”
According to the Syrian National News Agency, after the decision was made by the United States, Syrië’s Transitional Government Foreign Minister Shebani issued a statement, calling it a “historic moment”. Shebani stated that the Transitional Government will continue to work hard to eliminate isolation and create an environment based on transparency, common interests, and mutual respect, thereby promoting the development and stability of Syria and the region.
Syrian Transitional Government Finance Minister Barni said that this decision will further strengthen Syria's connections with the global economy and financial systems, and attract investment and modern technologies, thereby expanding development opportunities.
In 1979, the United States classified Syria as a "terrorist-supporting country." In 2018, the "Free Syrian Army" was identified as a terrorist organization. After significant changes in the Syrian political situation in December 2024, the United States began to gradually relax its sanctions.
On June 30 last year, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to relax restrictions on the export of certain goods to Syria, and to lift the restrictions on foreign aid to Syria. On July 8 this year, Rubio stated that Trump had informed Congress on that day that the U.S. government would remove Syria from the list of "terrorist support countries" after a 45-day notification period.
