Syria Off US Terror List After 47 Years

Syria's transitional president Ahmed al-Sharaa greeted Monday's US announcement with a speech in Damascus, declaring his country was shedding "a dark stain" and tearing out "a painful page from its past." He thanked US President Donald Trump and all "friendly and supportive states" for the decision.

End of a 47-Year Blacklisting

Washington placed Syria on its list of state sponsors of terrorism in 1979, a designation that for decades discouraged banks and foreign investors from doing business there. Although the United States had already lifted sweeping sanctions against Syria in July 2025 following the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, the terror-list status continued to cast a shadow over potential economic partnerships.

Simultaneously, the Trump administration removed the Islamist HTS militia — the armed faction al-Sharaa had led which toppled the Assad government — from its designation as a global terrorist organization.

Turkey and Investors Welcome the Move

Turkey, a key ally of Syria's transitional government, praised the US decision, saying it would give impetus to efforts to strengthen Syria's ties with the international community. Syria's Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh called it "a historic success for Syrian diplomacy" that opened "an important and long-awaited door" to integrating Syria into the global economic and financial system.

Foreign business interest had already been growing: Barnieh held talks with Bank of America representatives this month, and Mastercard is working with the QNB Group and the Syrian central bank to prepare infrastructure for international card payments in the country.

Reconstruction Challenge Ahead

After nearly 14 years of civil war, Syria faces an enormous task of national reconstruction. Cuba, North Korea, and Iran are now the only three countries remaining on Washington's state sponsors of terrorism list.