US Removes Syria From State Sponsors of Terrorism List

The United States formally removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism on Monday, August 24, 2026, a landmark policy shift that eliminates a decades-old barrier to investment and deepens ties with the new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The action, which also revoked the global terrorist designation of the group formerly known as the al-Nusrah Front, followed the expiration of a 45-day congressional review period.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decisions in a statement, calling them "another historic step by President Trump to give the Syrian people a path to prosperity." He stated the moves recognized "positive actions taken and further commitments by the Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa to fully distance Syria from acts of international terrorism." Rubio cited Syria's participation in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and its operations against ISIS, al-Qaida, Hezbollah, and Iran-aligned groups.

The designation, first imposed in 1979, had restricted U.S. foreign assistance, defense-related exports, and certain financial transactions. Its removal, along with the delisting of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from the...