President Donald Trump’s administration took its first concrete action to deliver sanctions relief to Syria, following a surprising policy pivot earlier this month.
On Friday, the US Treasury announced cleaning for many individuals and groups.
Meanwhile, the US State Department simultaneously issued an exemption to the Caesar Syrian Civil Protection Act, a 2019 law. This “enables foreign partners, allies and regions to further lock Syria’s potential.”
In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the waiver “promotes the provision of electricity, energy, water and sanitation, allowing for more effective humanitarian responses across Syria.”
The approval covers new investments in Syria, financial services provisions, and transactions that include Syrian petroleum products.
“Today’s actions represent the first step in realizing the President’s vision for new relations between Syria and the United States,” Rubio said Friday.
Trump surprised the international community on May 13 when he pledged to remove the sanctions imposed on Syria amidst the leader he now cooperates with, President Bashar al-Assad.
Friday’s announcement marks the first step towards Syria’s goal as it recovers from abuse under the Al-Assad government and 13 years of civil war.
Sanctions relief is important for Syria to move forward. The US is issuing Caesar sanctions exemptions to increase investments and cash flows that promote basic services and reconstruction in Syria. We support the Syrians’ efforts to build more…
– Secretary Marco Rubio (@secrubio) May 23, 2025
“As President Trump has promised, the Treasury and the State Department are implementing approvals to encourage new investments in Syria,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent said in a statement.
“Syria must also continue to work to become a peaceful and stable country, and we hope that today’s actions will place it on the path to a bright, prosperous, and stable future.”
Trump first announced plans for sanctions relief during a tour of the Middle East in mid-May. He said that lifting our sanctions would provide Syria with a “opportunity of greatness” as restrictions have made war-torn countries economically isolated.
“It’s time to shine. We’re removing them all,” he said from Riyadh.
Shortly afterwards, Trump met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and shook hands.
A lawsuit for relief
After the collapse of the Al-Assad government in December last year, calls for relief from sanctions grew. As head of the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) group, Al-Sharaa led the attack that led to Al-Assad’s fleeing the country and ended the civil war.
The first outbreak of war in 2011 left Syrian economy in ruins.
As many as 656,493 people died during the conflict, and a 2020 report from the United Nations estimated that they suffered a total economic loss of approximately $442.2 billion over the first eight years of the war, according to the Syrian Human Rights Observatory.
Sanctions further weaken Syria’s economic outlook, making it difficult for countries with ties to the US to do business.
Since taking power in December, Syrian interim government has argued that ongoing sanctions imposed primarily during al-Assad’s control slowed development and caused further instability.
Trump’s announcement earlier this month, although the scope of the relief remained unknown, supported hopes of moving forward on a new path for many Syrians.
Earlier this week, the European Union announced it had lifted sanctions against Syria.
Friday’s sanctions relief in the United States applies to the “Syrian government…” “as it exists after May 13, 2025,” according to the Treasury Department.
The grace also applies to several previously approved transport, banking, tourism and fossil fuel entities.
Transactions related to Russia, Iran and North Korea are under US sanctions.
But one of the biggest hurdles is the Caesar Syrian Civil Protection Act, a law passed during Trump’s first term in 2019.
It included a wide range of sanctions targeting the al-Assad government, its allies and its allies, as well as allies and supporters for the atrocities committed against civilians.
The law is named after a former Syrian military photographer and whistleblower. It smuggled caches of images from the state showing torture and mass murder at detention centres run by al-Assad security forces.
However, since the law was passed by Congress, it could require Congressional actions.
However, the president can issue temporary exemptions to the law. This is what the Trump administration did on Friday.