Beginning procedures to remove Syria from “sponsors of terrorism”.. What do we know about the American decision and its background? | news

The United States announced the start of procedures to remove Syria from the US list of states sponsoring terrorism, a few hours after US President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met – yesterday, Wednesday – on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara.

“I promised to remove all barriers preventing you from rebuilding your country, and very soon you will finally be able to do so,” Trump wrote in a letter to Sharaa.

“We have American companies ready to invest in Syria and help make your country greater and more prosperous than ever before,” Trump wrote in the letter, which a senior US administration official said was delivered to Sharaa after their meeting in Ankara.

He added that he informed Congress, which will now conduct a 45-day review before the decision becomes effective.

In turn, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced – in a statement – the start of procedures to cancel Syria’s classification as a state sponsor of terrorism, saying that this decision comes “after the official guarantees provided by President Al-Shara that Syria will not support acts of international terrorism in the future.”

Positive changes

Rubio said that this decision comes in view of the “positive changes” and “counter-terrorism measures” taken by the Syrian government led by President Shara.

The US Secretary of State considered that lifting sanctions would open the door to international trade and investment and give Syria an opportunity for reconstruction, considering this measure to be another historic step taken by Trump to enable the Syrians to “achieve greatness.”

While he praised the Syrian government for “adopting a new path,” expressing Washington’s aspiration to strengthen its partnership with Damascus and its people; Rubio saw that this day represents an important milestone in the renewed bilateral relations between the two countries and in the history of Syria as a country.

Rubio said that lifting sanctions on Syria opens a new chapter for the Syrian people, noting that the presence of a stable and united Syria that lives in peace with itself and its neighbors benefits the entire world, not just the region.

What is the list of states sponsoring terrorism?

These are the countries whose governments Washington says have provided “repeated support for international terrorist acts.” Countries are classified on this list by a decision of the US Secretary of State based on US laws regulating sanctions.

The inclusion of any country on this list entails the imposition of sanctions that include restricting US foreign aid, banning exports and sales of weapons and defense equipment, and imposing restrictions on the export of goods and technologies with civil and military dual use, in addition to financial restrictions and other punitive measures.

When was Syria included on the list?

Syria has been placed on the list of state sponsors of terrorism since Congress created this list in 1979, and is thus considered the longest-term member on the list, which also includes Iran, which has been designated since 1984, North Korea since 2017, and Cuba since 2021.

Why was Syria included?

Syria was included in the classification based on American assessments regarding the support of the regime of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad for armed Palestinian factions, its strategic alliance with Iran, and its material support for organizations classified as terrorist under American law, including the Lebanese Hezbollah.

What are the procedures for delisting?

The delisting procedures – according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights – go through the following steps:

• The US President submitted an acknowledgment to Congress that the designated government had not provided “any support for international terrorism” in the previous six months, accompanied by assurances of its intention not to do so in the future.
• A fundamental change in the leadership and policies of the classified government.
• Congress conducts a mandatory 45-day review.
• The decision will take effect if the review period is free of any objection.

What is the importance of deletion?

• This development – along with the end of the US sanctions program on Syria that Trump signed last month – allows the country’s isolation from the international financial system to be completely ended.
• Implementing Washington’s pledge to help Syria rebuild after a revolution that lasted about 14 years.

What are the reasons for deletion?

The deletion came based on a phone call – at the end of last May – in which Al-Sharaa asked Trump to lift the remaining sanctions, to enable the Syrian economy to regain its activity and improve the living conditions of citizens, in addition to encouraging investments and creating the appropriate environment for the return of economic and development projects to various vital sectors.

Yesterday, Wednesday, Trump pledged – in a meeting with Al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit hosted by the Turkish capital, Ankara – to remove Syria from the list of states sponsoring terrorism.