US removes Syria from state sponsors of terrorism list

WASHINGTON

The United States on Aug. 24 formally removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism and lifted Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) remaining U.S. terrorist designation.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio authorized the rescission after the mandatory 45-day congressional notification period ended.

He also revoked the designation of al-Nusrah Front, also known as HTS, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization.

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) simultaneously removed HTS from its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.

The State Department had already revoked HTS’s separate designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in July 2025.

Syria had been on the state sponsors list since December 1979. The designation carried restrictions on U.S. assistance, defense exports and sales, certain dual-use exports and financial dealings.

Rubio said the decisions reflected steps and commitments by President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government to distance Syria from international terrorism. He said the changes removed “the final major barriers” to private-sector investment and supported Syria’s economic recovery and reintegration into the global economy.

Al-Sharaa welcomed the decision, saying Syria was leaving behind a painful chapter and moving toward development and reconstruction. He thanked U.S. President Donald Trump and countries that had supported Syria.

Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani called the decision historic, saying the designation had been linked to the policies of the ousted Assad government and had never been the Syrian people’s choice.

Türkiye’s Ambassador to Syria Nuh Yılmaz said the move had removed “the final obstacle” to Syria’s integration with the world and would support stability and development in both Syria and the wider region.