Trump Eases Syria Sanctions

(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump has significantly relaxed longstanding American restrictions imposed on Syria, scaling back much of the sanctions framework that had been in place for decades.

In a notable shift, he has also called for a reevaluation of the terrorism designation of Ahmed al-Sharaa, the head of the Islamist alliance that helped bring down the former regime of Bashar Assad.

On Monday, Trump enacted an executive directive that lifts expansive economic constraints, while still keeping focused sanctions on Assad and key figures from his former administration.

That government was overthrown late last year by militant coalitions including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Although the sanctions targeting groups labeled as “Foreign Terrorist Organizations” by the US will remain active, the executive order instructs Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reassess HTS’s status. It also seeks a review of the classification of al-Sharaa as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist.”

The administration will additionally reconsider Syria’s inclusion on the US list of “State Sponsors of Terrorism,” a designation initially enacted in 1979.

This move comes after Trump’s May summit with al-Sharaa in Riyadh, where they explored prospects for Syria’s reconstruction and potential diplomatic ties with Israel.

During the talks, Trump voiced his intention to offer Damascus’ new rulers “a chance at greatness.”

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