United States lifts remaining weapons-related sanctions on Syria

The U.S. Federal Register issued a decision exempting Syria from the remaining sanctions imposed under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control Act of 1991, which include restrictions on arms sales and military financing, according to Syria’s Al-Ikhbariya channel.

The channel reported that, pursuant to document FR Doc. 2026-18918, the decision took effect starting September 16 of this month, based on previous U.S. decisions and measures regarding sanctions imposed on Syria.

The U.S. Treasury Department had announced on August 24 of last month that it was removing Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, confirming that Damascus is no longer subject to the embargo under regulations governing governments listed as state sponsors of terrorism.

The department clarified that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) removed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham from the list of prohibited citizens and entities, and revoked General License No. 25 related to Syria, which had permitted certain transactions that might otherwise be prohibited.

The lifting of restrictions on arms sales and military financing constitutes an additional step in the process of removing the remaining U.S. restrictions on Syria, following a series of decisions witnessed along this path since 2025.