US removes Syria from list of state sponsors of terrorism

In a significant diplomatic shift, the United States has removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, marking the end of a 47-year designation that had hindered private sector investment and the country's reintegration into the global economy. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the move, citing the Syrian government's positive actions to distance itself from international terrorism.

Despite this, Syria remains far from secure and lacks a representative government, with the country at the center of tensions between neighboring Israel and Turkey.

The US administration has welcomed Syria's new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who previously led an al-Qaeda offshoot and whose Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has been removed from the US list of global terrorist organizations. Sharaa's transitional administration now dominates HTS, which led a rebel offensive in late 2024 that overthrew former President Bashar al-Assad.

While the US hopes to bring Syria under its influence rather than that of Russia or China, the risks of instability and lack of governance remain significant. However, the US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, sees the move as a "historic step" that will promote investment and political and economic stability in Syria. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani welcomed the news as a positive development, pledging continued efforts to remove the effects of isolation and foster an environment based on transparency, mutual interests, and respect.