UK to relax Syrian sanctions in first major policy change in post-Assad era

The British government has signalled its intention to ease long-standing sanctions on Syria for the first time, following the fall of the Assad regime.

Stephen Doughty, the Minister of State, informed MPs in a written statement that ministers would introduce measures "in the coming months" to adjust the UK’s sanctions framework for Syria, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Any proposed changes will be subject to parliamentary debate, he added, while asset freezes and travel bans on members of the former regime will remain in place.

"We are making these changes to support the Syrian people in rebuilding their country and to promote security and stability.They will include the relaxation of restrictions affecting the energy, transport and finance sectors, as well as provisions to further support humanitarian delivery," Doughty said.

The announcement on February 13 follows the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024. In January, Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed that the Labour government was reviewing its sanctions policy in coordination with allies, though he did not provide further details at the time.

The UK first imposed sanctions on Syria as part of the European Union, later establishing its own measures following Brexit. British sanctions target “the Syrian regime,” which is defined as “the regime in Syria on or after 9 May 2011 led by Bashar al-Assad.” While Assad’s wife, Asma—who holds British citizenship—has not been directly sanctioned, Lammy has stated that she is not welcome in the UK.

Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, leads Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group that remains classified as a terrorist organization by the UK government.

By Aghakazim Guliyev