Washington lifts last arms and military financing restrictions on Syria

Washington-Damascus-Agencies: Washington announced the lifting of the last arms and military financing restrictions imposed on Syria as part of U.S. steps to ease constraints on the country following political change. The U.S. Department of State announced that Syria has been exempted from the final two restrictions imposed under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, a move that removes the legal ban on U.S. arms sales to Syria and on foreign military financing, without implying that a weapons deal has been concluded or that new military funding will be provided to Damascus. The decision entered into force on September 16, 2026, and was published in the Federal Register. The exemption covers restrictions related to the sale of defense articles and services, design and construction services, as well as export licenses for items listed on the U.S. Munitions List. The decision also ends restrictions on foreign military financing for Syria under the Arms Export Control Act, thereby lifting the last remaining restrictions under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act.