Washington: The United States announced on Monday a partial suspension of the comprehensive Caesar Act sanctions on Syria to allow for rebuilding the conflict-torn country.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the sanctions would be partially suspended for 180 days, emphasizing a commitment to continued sanctions relief for Syria. The US Department of Treasury clarified that this suspension excludes certain transactions involving the governments of Russia and Iran, as well as the transfer of Russian-origin or Iranian-origin goods, technology, software, funds, financing, or services.
The statement highlighted President Donald Trump's effort to fulfill his promise to offer Syria an opportunity to rebuild and prosper by lifting US sanctions and holding harmful actors accountable. The US government has introduced new policies and regulatory measures to encourage participation from US businesses, banks, the international community, Syrian citizens, and regional partners in Syria's stabilization while restricting resources to harmful entities.
To facilitate these new policies, the US government intends to collaborate with both the public and private sectors, offering guidance to support these initiatives. The US continues to review Syria's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST), although most commerce control list items destined for Syria will still require a US export license.
Sanctions will persist against "the worst of the worst," including Bashar al-Assad, human rights abusers, captagon drug traffickers, and other destabilizing regional actors. The US retains authority through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to enact national security measures if necessary.
On May 13, 2025, President Trump announced the lifting of US sanctions on Syria to offer the nation a chance at peace and prosperity. In June, he issued an Executive Order to formally remove US sanctions and directed agencies to encourage US private sector and foreign partner re-engagement in Syria.