US moves to lift Syria's terror label, paving way for recovery

Trump said he had notified Congress, which will now conduct a 45-day review before the decision can take effect.

A diplomatic milestone

ANKARA/WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Wednesday informed his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa that he had decided to remove the country from the US list of designated state sponsors of terrorism.

“I promised to remove all barriers stopping you from rebuilding your country, and very soon, you will finally be able to do so,” Trump wrote in a letter to Sharaa.

“We have US companies ready to invest in Syria and help make your country greater and more prosperous than ever before,” he added in the letter that a senior US administration official said was handed to Sharaa after their meeting in Ankara on Wednesday.

Sharaa was seen holding the letter alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani on their way back to Damascus from Ankara, following the conclusion of a NATO summit.

During a meeting with the Syrian leader on the sidelines of the summit, when asked whether he would consider removing Syria from the state sponsors of terrorism list, Trump said, “I think I will. Why wouldn’t I?”

"Syria has become very stable. It's really been stabilised, and we're proud of that," Trump added.

The designation as a state sponsor of terrorism carries restrictions on US foreign assistance, defense exports and certain financial transactions.

Syria Central Bank Governor Safwat Raslan said the move by the US opens wider aspects of investments and economic recovery and the reintegration of Syria into the global economy, according to a post on Telegram.

Last year? Trump signed an executive order terminating a US sanctions program on Syria, allowing an end to the country’s isolation from the international financial system.

Several Saudi firms are planning billion-dollar investments as part of Riyadh’s efforts to support its recovery, while other Gulf states have also pledged financial assistance.

Trump on Wednesday complimented Sharaa, who was a commander of al-Qaeda’s Nusra Front in Syria before cutting ties with the group in 2016. He then led a coalition of Islamist rebel factions in late 2024 to topple Assad.

Trump has encouraged Sharaa’s actions against the Islamic State militant group in the region.

“He’s respected by everybody, including me,” Trump said.