President Donald Trump announced that US sanctions on Syria will be lifted, with a major boost to the Tehran government, which came to power after the overthrow of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December.
“On the first Tuesday of a three-day visit to the Middle East, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, in Saudi Arabia, Trump said in Saudi Arabia “There is a new government that will succeed in stabilizing the country and maintaining peace.” “I order the suspension of sanctions against Syria in order to give them the opportunity to greatness.”
Trump is also expected to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh on Wednesday.
In Syria, the news is filled with the capital, Damascus and other celebrations. After more than a decade of war, we hope this move will help turn the country’s economy around.
Let’s take a closer look.
What sanctions were imposed on Syria?
The United States was just one of many countries that sanctioned Syria during the former Al-Assad regime, which ruled the country from 1971 to 2024.
US sanctions were widespread. The United States initially designated Syria as a “state sponsor of terrorism” in 1979, which resulted in an arms embargo that included foreign aid and financial restrictions.
In 2004, further sanctions were imposed, including restrictions and restrictions on arms exports regarding Syria’s economic interaction with the United States.
After the war in Syria began in 2011, Al-Assad’s regime began attacking civilian opposition protesters. These include the freeze on Syrian government assets held overseas, a ban on US investment in Syria, and restrictions on oil imports.
The US also announced a $10 million reward for the acquisition of Syrian current leader, Al-Sharaa, and listed Hayat Taharil Al-Sham, an organization that ran before its disbandment with the collapse of Al-Assad as a “foreign terrorist organization.”
Why was Syria under sanctions?
The main tranche of sanctions was imposed early in the Syrian war, when the US was supporting the state’s opposition, pointing to human rights abuses, including the use of chemical weapons, and attempting to isolate the al-Assad regime.
The “terrorist” designation placed on Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham was a result of a previous association with Al-Qaeda. This was one reason for the international vigilance to eliminate Syrian sanctions, even after the collapse of al-Assad.
Why are they being lifted up now?
Al-Sharaa has slowly gained international legitimacy for his government since coming to power in December. The US has already removed the reward for his capture, and the Syrian president has traveled internationally and was able to meet world leaders, including Saudi Arabia and France.
The new Syrian government worked together to present itself as a medium force that could be accepted by the international community, including distancing from designated “terrorist” groups, committing to working with other countries on “terrorist” efforts, and committing to creating a statement in support of minority rights. The latter was particularly important in light of the sectarian battles involving pro-government and minority groups after the collapse of al-Assad.
Reuters also reported this week that Syria was hoping to convince the US that it was a potential partner, not a threat, saying that despite the Syrian bombing and the bombing of its territory, it was engaged in indirect talks with Israel to remove tensions with its Middle Eastern allies. There was also talk of business transactions in Syria, including the Trump Tower in Damascus.
Trump on Tuesday said his decision to end the sanctions came after discussions with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan.
“Oh, what am I doing for the Crown Prince!” he said.
Omar Rahman, a fellow at the Middle East’s Council of World Affairs, spoke to Al Jazeera and said that all countries that were pushing for the end of sanctions and support on the new Syrian government were an integral part of Trump’s decision.
“This wasn’t difficult for Trump,” Rahman said. “He didn’t need to get permission from anyone. He didn’t even need consent from Congress.”
Will investment be poured into Syria now?
Because of the central role the US plays in the global financial system, lifting sanctions is a signal to the world where business can be done in Syria.
Sanctions are economically weak for Syria and have presented a major obstacle to the new government. This is under pressure to improve living standards in countries with high unemployment and poverty levels, and power outages are common.
It is yet to be seen whether the US itself is investing in Syria, but an increase in Arab and Turkish investment is likely.
“(Removal of sanctions) deprives us of a critical obstacle to (Syria) ability to establish certain economic development, economic prosperity,” Rahman told Al Jazeera. “But there are a lot of other obstacles and challenges.”