WASHINGTON – The United States has temporarily lifted some sanctions on Syria as part of an effort to attract international investment and support long-term regional stability, a State Department spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, “We are engaging with regional and global partners to open investment in Syria,” Bruce added, emphasizing that the shift is aimed at “unlocking opportunities for sustainable development and stabilization.”
She added that the suspension of sanctions under the Caesar Act for 180 days will help the American administration to achieve its main goal “the enduring defeat of ISIS by giving the people of Syria a chance for a better future.”
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The move comes as the Trump administration signals a shift from direct intervention toward fostering regional solutions and economic rebuilding. The Caesar Act, passed in 2019, had imposed wide-ranging sanctions on the Assad regime and any entity doing business with it, aiming to hold the government accountable for war crimes.
Thomas Barak, the U.S. special envoy for Syria, echoed this shift in tone, stating on X (formerly Twitter) that “The era of Western interference is over. The future belongs to regional solutions, but partnerships, and a diplomacy grounded in respect” and that “Syria’s tragedy was born in division. Its rebirth must come through dignity, unity, and investment in its people.”
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Barak recently met with Ahmed al-Shara, head of Syria’s transitional government, and other officials in Istanbul. He emphasized the importance of lifting sanctions to unlock donor funding and stabilize essential services like energy and healthcare.
The U.S. Treasury Department issued a general license—License No. 25—that authorizes previously restricted transactions with dozens of Syrian entities, including the Central Bank of Syria, Syrian Airlines, and the Ministry of Tourism.
Entities removed from the sanctions list include major oil and gas companies, the General Petroleum Corporation, the Syrian Gas Company, and the country’s two main oil refineries in Baniyas and Homs. Key financial institutions and transportation agencies were also included.
The suspension is valid for six months, after which it will be reassessed based on conditions on the ground.
