US removes Syria from state sponsors of terrorism list after nearly 50 years

Aug 24, 2026

The United States has formally removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism after nearly 50 years, alongside delisting Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as a global terrorist group. Authorized by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the historic move follows the ouster of Bashar al-Assad by Ahmed al-Sharaa in December 2024. While Damascus welcomes the removal as the final hurdle to unlocking billions in reconstruction investment, representatives of American terror victims criticize the decision for failing to resolve outstanding legal judgments against the Syrian state.

Syria terrorism list removal

▪Syria had been designated as a state sponsor of terrorism by the United States since December 1979 under the administration of President Jimmy Carter.
▪Following the removal of Syria, only Cuba, Iran, and North Korea remain on the United States list of state sponsors of terrorism.
▪The United States formally removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism on August 24, 2026, following the completion of a mandatory 45-day congressional review period.
▪The United States revoked the designation of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, formerly known as the al-Nusra Front, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization on August 24, 2026.

Post-Assad government transition

▪President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who previously led the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front before breaking ties in 2016, took power in Syria after ousting Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
▪The Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa formally joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in November 2025 and conducted operations against ISIS, al-Qaeda, and Hezbollah.
▪Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa described the removal from the terrorism list as shaking off a dark stain and tearing away a painful chapter of the country's past.

Economic sanctions relief

▪The World Bank estimated Syria's post-conflict physical infrastructure damage at $108 billion and total reconstruction needs at approximately $216 billion in October 2025.
▪The Trump administration terminated comprehensive United States sanctions on Syria in July 2025, while maintaining targeted sanctions against Bashar al-Assad, rights abusers, and terrorist affiliates.
▪The United States Treasury Department stated that American financial institutions can provide services to Syria and establish correspondent banking relationships, provided sanctioned parties are not involved.

Foreign investment opportunities

▪Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani stated that lifting the terrorism designation removes the final obstacle to global financial integration, investment, and rebuilding economic life in Syria.
▪Mastercard announced in May 2026 that it was working with QNB Group and the Central Bank of Syria to prepare infrastructure for international card payments.
▪Syrian Finance Minister Mohammad Yisr Barnieh held talks in August 2026 with Bank of America executives regarding potential cooperation and Syria's reintegration into the international financial system.

US-Syria diplomatic relations

▪President Donald Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8, 2026, during a bilateral meeting alongside the NATO leaders summit.
▪Syria agreed to drastically reduce its imports of Russian oil during bilateral negotiations with the United States over lifting the state sponsor of terrorism designation.
▪President Donald Trump initiated the 45-day congressional notification period to delist Syria on July 8, 2026, after confirming that Syria's government had ceased supporting international terrorism.

American terror victims concerns

▪The Anti-Defamation League is actively suing Syria on behalf of 130 United States citizens killed or injured during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel.
▪Attorney Aryeh Portnoy stated that removing Syria from the terrorism list without accounting for Americans affected by Syrian state-sponsored terrorism dealt victims a heavy blow.
▪A United States court ordered Syria to pay $302.5 million in damages to the family of Marie Colvin, a war correspondent killed in Homs in 2012.