President Donald Trump has signed an executive order officially lifting US sanctions on Syria, fulfilling a commitment he made in May during a meeting with Syria’s new president, Ahmad al-Sharaa.
The White House announced that the move aims to promote stability and peace in the war-torn nation.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the executive action is intended to support Syria’s path toward recovery, following more than a decade of conflict and international isolation.
“This is a decision to promote and support the country’s path to stability and peace,” she stated.
Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda insurgent who previously fought against US forces in Iraq and was imprisoned at Abu Ghraib, now leads Syria`s interim government.
His rise to power has been controversial, but US officials say the administration is taking a pragmatic approach.
The decision to lift sanctions is conditional. President Trump previously urged al-Sharaa to meet specific benchmarks, including normalizing diplomatic relations with neighboring countries — notably Israel — and the United States.
Officials noted that while sanctions targeting the regime of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his collaborators will remain in place, broader economic restrictions will be dismantled.
US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, described the move as a calculated step toward offering Syria’s new leadership an opportunity to rebuild.
“You have a general who transitioned from wartime into a position of leadership in a reframed new country,” Barrack said. “Syria needs to be given a chance, and that’s what’s happening.”
Barrack emphasized that the decision is not an attempt at nation-building. “Neither the president nor the secretary of state is dictating a democratic model,” he added.
“They’re offering an opportunity with expectations, including integrating former fighters, protecting allies who fought against ISIS, and aligning with the principles of the Abraham Accords.”
Brad Smith, Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the Treasury Department, addressed the technical aspects of the policy shift, explaining that while many sanctions are being lifted, the US will retain certain restrictions as needed.
“The significance of this moment cannot be overstated,” Smith said. “While we are hopeful for Syria’s future, we remain vigilant. Treasury will continue to act where necessary to protect American interests and the integrity of international financial systems.”
The lifting of sanctions marks a dramatic policy shift in US engagement with Syria, signaling cautious optimism from the Trump administration about the country’s political transformation.
