Syria welcomes US move to remove country from terrorism list

Syria has welcomed the United States’ decision to begin the process of removing the country from Washington’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, where it has been listed since 1979.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry said the move opens a new chapter in Syrian-US relations based on dialogue, mutual respect, and shared interests. Damascus believes that the removal of the designation, along with further sanctions relief, will create conditions for economic recovery, attract investment, and boost trade.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani described the decision as “closing a dark chapter” in the country’s history and thanked US President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other American officials for supporting the move.

ضمن توجيهات فخامة رئيس الجمهورية أحمد الشرع، أغلقنا صفحة سوداء في تاريخ سوريا برفع التصنيف الذي فرض عليها بسبب سياسات النظام البائد 1979

كل الشكر والتقدير للولايات المتحدة بقيادة الرئيس ترامب على هذا القرار، ولصديقي وزير الخارجية ماركو روبيو وللسفير العزيز توم باراك ولكل من وقف… pic.twitter.com/yhaEUXSenR

— أسعد حسن الشيباني (@AsaadHShaibani) July 8, 2026

Earlier, President Donald Trump announced his intention to remove Syria from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism during a bilateral meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Türkiye.

When asked directly about the delisting, Trump replied, "I think I will. Why wouldn't I? He's done a great job," praising al-Sharaa's efforts to unify the country after years of instability.

Trump also informed al-Sharaa via a letter that he promised to remove barriers to rebuilding Syria and noted US companies' readiness to invest, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio formally notifying Congress to trigger the required 45-day review period.

By Jeyhun Aghazada