THE United States has removed Syria from its unilateral list of “state sponsors of terrorism.”

The decision was hailed by Syria’s jihadist President Ahmed al-Sharaa as “historic” and a move that would help the country recover after 14 years of civil war.

He said Syria was tearing a “page from its painful past, in order to launch itself into the realm of development, reconstruction and building.”

Right-wing US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the action was “taken in recognition of the positive actions taken and further commitments” by Mr Sharaa to “fully distance Syria from acts of international terrorism.”

Syria had been on the list since 1979, when Washington accused the government of former President Hafez al-Assad of supporting armed groups. 

The designation remained throughout the rule of his son, Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted by a force led by Mr Sharaa in December 2024.

It carries restrictions on US foreign assistance, defence exports and sales, and certain dual-use items which can have civilian and military applications, and financial transactions. 

Remaining on the list was a major deterrent for banks and investors even after Washington dismantled its broader sanctions programme against Syria.

Only Cuba, Iran and North Korea remain on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list which is decided by the US State Department and enforced by them globally.

Monday’s announcement also revoked the designation of al-Nusrah Front, the group formerly led by Mr Sharaa, also known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as a global “terrorist” organisation. HTS was once al-Qaida’s official branch in Syria.

Posting on social media, the governor of Syria’s central bank, Safwat Raslan, said this is “a historic step that restores the country to its natural place in the global economic system.” 

He added that the bank is “working to build a modern and reliable financial system.”