The United States has formally rescinded Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism and removed Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday.
Rubio said he authorized the actions after the completion of a mandatory 45-day notification period to Congress.
The decision marks a significant shift in Washington’s policy toward Syria and removes what the State Department described as the final major obstacles to private-sector investment and the country’s economic reintegration.
Washington cites Syria’s counterterrorism commitments
The State Department said the designations were lifted in recognition of steps taken by Syria’s government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa to distance the country from international terrorism.
According to the statement, Syrian authorities have joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and carried out operations against networks linked to ISIS, alQaida, Hizballah and Iran-aligned groups.
The department presented the removals as part of a broader U.S. effort to ease restrictions on Syria.
It pointed to a June 2025 executive order, titled “Providing for the Revocation of Syria Sanctions,” which terminated the Syria Sanctions Program and the national emergency relating to Syria while ordering reviews of other Syria-related sanctions and terrorism designations.
Economic implications
The State Department said the changes are intended to promote Syria’s economic recovery and reintegration into the global economy.
It characterized the actions as
eliminating the “final major barriers” to private-sector investment, potentially improving the environment for companies and financial institutions considering commercial engagement with Syria.
The statement did not provide details on the timing or scale of any new investment, nor did it say that all U.S. restrictions on Syria had been removed.
Instead, it referred readers to a joint advisory from the Departments of Commerce, Treasury and State summarizing sanctions and export- control relief provided to Syria to date.
The announcement therefore represents a major policy change, but its practical effect will depend on the scope of remaining restrictions, the response of international banks and businesses, and Syria’s continued compliance with the commitments cited by Washington.
A consequential policy shift
The rescission of the State Sponsor of Terrorism designation carries broad diplomatic and economic significance because it signals that the United States no longer considers the designation an appropriate reflection of Syria’s current conduct, based on the assessment
described by Rubio.
The separate HTS delisting further indicates that Washington is revising
its approach to the Syrian authorities and the group’s status in light of developments over the past year.
The State Department emphasized that the decision followed what it called positive actions and further commitments by the Syrian government.
Continued counterterrorism operations and adherence to those commitments are likely to remain central to the U.S.
assessment of Syria’s relationship with Washington.
For Syria, the measures could improve prospects for international commerce and reconstruction financing.
For the United States, they represent an effort to use sanctions relief and diplomatic engagement to support stabilization while encouraging Damascus to maintain its break with terrorist organizations and Iran-aligned armed groups.
What happens next
The next phase will likely focus on implementation and interpretation. Businesses, banks and governments will need to determine how the rescission interacts with other sanctions, export controls and legal restrictions that may remain in force.
The State Department’s reference to its Tri-Seal Advisory suggests that the administration expects companies to rely on agency guidance when assessing permissible transactions.
The policy’s durability will also depend on developments inside Syria and on whether the govt under al-Sharaa continues the counterterrorism cooperation cited in the announcement.
The United States has framed the decision as conditional on Syria’s conduct and commitments, making future compliance an important factor in the relationship.