Trump Lifts Sanctions on Syria, Maintain Restrictions on Assad and Iran-Backed Groups

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday afternoon to officially lift all sanctions on Syria.

“This is in an effort to promote and support the country’s path to stability and peace. The order will remove sanctions on Syria while maintaining sanctions on the former president Assad or his associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, persons linked to chemical weapons activities, ISIS and their affiliates, and Iranian proxies,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

Leavitt added that Trump remains “committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified and at peace with itself and its neighbors.”

Trump recently met with Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, during a visit to Saudi Arabia. The meeting, which also included Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, marked a significant moment in the administration’s approach to the region.

Although the new order will lift many restrictions, some sanctions still require congressional action. Others date back to 1979, when Syria was first labeled a state sponsor of terrorism, a designation that has not been removed.

Al-Sharaa, who rose to power after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in March, now leads a transitional government. His faction, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was once an al-Qaeda offshoot and is credited with bringing down the Assad regime.

Al-Sharaa has been aggressively seeking engagement with the U.S., offering to build a Trump Tower in Damascus, normalize relations with Israel, and open Syrian energy resources to American firms. He has also promised to broaden HTS’s leadership and governance to make it more inclusive.

The executive order comes amid quiet negotiations between Israeli and Syrian officials over a possible normalization and security pact.

For years, American sanctions against Syria have included financial penalties on individuals or companies that supported the Assad government, barred U.S. entities from doing business with Syrian organizations, and disconnected Syrian banks from the international financial system.