US to delist Syria as state sponsor of terrorism

The United States will remove Syria’s designation as a “state sponsor of terrorism”, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

He noted that U.S. President Donald Trump had formally notified Congress of his administration’s intention to rescind Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism after the required 45-day congressional notification period.

“Lifting sanctions on Syria will unlock international trade and investment, give Syria a chance to rebuild, and open up a new chapter for the Syrian people,” Rubio said.

The long-expected move will be effective in 45 days unless lawmakers take the unlikely step of blocking it.

The step came as Trump met on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Turkiye with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.