The U.S. administration is on the brink of a major policy shift concerning its relationship with Syria, as signs indicate that Damascus may soon be removed from the United States' list of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation it has held since 1979.
Following the overthrow of former president Bashar al-Assad by Ahmed Shar'a over a year ago, Washington has been gradually dismantling sanctions on Syria. Last year, Congress repealed the 'Caesar Act,' and the U.S. Treasury Department issued broad sanctions waivers for Damascus. However, Syria's inclusion on the terrorism sponsor list, along with Cuba, North Korea, and Iran, remains the biggest hurdle to reintegrating Syria into the global financial system.
Congressman Joe Wilson announced he has introduced a legislative amendment to repeal 'all' remaining sanctions on Syria, stating he has received backing from the U.S. State Department. In a video released by activist Mohammad Alaa Ghanem of the Syrian American Council, Wilson said, 'We have an agreement with Secretary Marco Rubio, who supports the Syrian people, to lift the state sponsor of terrorism sanctions.'
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department confirmed an ongoing review of Syria's designation, following a directive issued by President Donald Trump last year. However, they noted that removing the designation requires a series of joint actions by the State Department and the White House, without providing a specific timeline.
New indicators have amplified expectations of an imminent decision. In late May, Trump reportedly had a phone conversation with Syrian president Ahmed Shar'a, during which they discussed lifting remaining U.S. sanctions as a necessary step to revitalize Syria's economy.
In a text message viewed by Politico, a U.S. official informed the executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, Mouaz Moustafa, that 'the state sponsor of terrorism designation will be lifted by the end of the summer... Trump asked Rubio to expedite the process after Shar'a raised the issue.' Neither the State Department nor the White House has confirmed these messages.
This move enjoys bipartisan support in Congress, with Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen announcing that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved a joint bill to lift two additional sanctions on Damascus, asserting that Syria's ongoing designation as a state sponsor of terrorism is a major obstacle to its economic recovery and stability.
On the other hand, Jonathan Schanzer, a former U.S. Treasury analyst on terrorist financing, cautioned that removing Syria from the list is 'still premature,' emphasizing that the Syrian government needs to demonstrate its commitment to regional stability and order.