United States Announces Removal of Syria from State Sponsors of Terrorism List - Sarmad

(KUNA) – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio officially announced on Monday the removal of Syria from the U.S. list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, stating that this move represents a “historic step” that provides the Syrian people with a new path toward growth and prosperity.

Rubio said in a statement, “I have today authorized the formal declassification of Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, following the expiration of the mandatory 45-day congressional notification period.”

He added that the decision also removes Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham from the list of “Specially Designated Global Terrorists.”

He clarified that the Trump administration took “unprecedented” steps last year to ease sanctions on Syria, in the interest of the Syrian people, pointing to the executive order issued in June 2025 regarding the lifting of sanctions and the termination of the national emergency related to them, as well as the review of various sanctions and terrorism-related designations linked to Syria.

Secretary Rubio said that this U.S. step comes “in response to the positive measures and additional commitments undertaken by the Syrian government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, to completely distance Syria from acts of international terrorism.”

The U.S. Secretary of State emphasized that these measures will help remove obstacles to private sector investment in Syria, strengthen the country’s economic recovery, and facilitate its reintegration into the global economy.