US moves to delist Syria as a ‘state sponsor of terrorism’

The United States says it will remove Syria’s designation as a “state sponsor of terrorism”, a decades-old label that severely impeded investment, in a new vote of confidence in President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

“This is yet another historic step by President Trump to give the Syrian people a chance at greatness,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement published on Wednesday. The long-expected move will be effective in 45 days unless lawmakers take the unlikely step of blocking it.

The step came as President Donald Trump met on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Turkiye with al-Sharaa, a former rebel who has sought to recast himself as a unifying figure after the 2024 toppling of the al-Assad family, which led an oppressive regime for a half-century.

“Lifting sanctions on Syria will unlock international trade and investment, give Syria a chance to rebuild, and open up a new chapter for the Syrian people,” Rubio said. “A stable, unified Syria at peace with itself and its neighbors benefits not only the region, but the entire world”.

Read more: Al Jazeera