On July 8, 2026, the US Department of State announced that President Trump had notified Congress of his administration’s intent to rescind Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (“SST”). The notification initiates a 45-day period that must elapse before the rescission takes effect. In the accompanying press statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that “[l]ifting 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.” According to the State Department, the step follows Executive Order 14312 of June 30, 2025 (“EO 14312”), together with counterterrorism measures undertaken by the Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and formal assurances from President al-Sharaa that Syria will refrain from supporting acts of international terrorism in the future.
The announcement is the latest in a series of US measures easing restrictions on Syria over the past year. As we previously reported, EO 14312 terminated the US comprehensive Syria sanctions program while preserving targeted measures against Bashar al-Assad and others associated with the former regime (see our previous blog post here). The Departments of the Treasury, State, and Commerce subsequently issued a Tri-Seal Advisory in November 2025 consolidating the sanctions and export-controls relief then in place, which noted that Syria’s SST designation remains under review (see our previous blog post here).
Syria has been designated as an SST since December 29, 1979, and is one of only four SST-designated jurisdictions, alongside Cuba, Iran, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The designation triggers a range of US restrictions, including limits on US foreign assistance, a ban on defense exports and sales, controls over exports of certain dual-use items, and various financial restrictions. Rescission is governed by statute and cannot take effect until at least 45 days after the President submits a report to Congress justifying the action and certifying that Syria has not supported acts of international terrorism during the preceding six months and has provided assurances that it will not do so in the future. The designation and its associated restrictions therefore remain in effect until that period runs.
For companies evaluating Syria-related activity, the announcement signals a further narrowing of US restrictions but does not, by itself, change the current compliance posture. The SST designation remains in place throughout the 45-day period, and a number of other measures would be unaffected by its eventual rescission, including designations of persons connected to the former Assad regime and export-licensing requirements for many items destined for Syria under the Export Administration Regulations.
We will continue to monitor and update on any further developments in US policy on sanctions and export controls applicable to Syria.
