Syria News: The US first imposed sanctions on Syria in 1979. After 2005, 2011-12, Syria was forced to fight sanctions until 2019.
Washington/syria News Update: President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to lift US sanctions on Syria that were imposed on July 1, 2025 (today).
The sanctions were intended to isolate Syria from the global financial system. Trump’s lifting of the sanctions is intended to support the reconstruction of Syria, which has been ravaged by 14 years of civil war.
The order ends a sanctions-related program that began in 2004, which removed control over Syrian government assets and restricted exports from the country due to Syria’s chemical weapons program.
When Did The US Impose sanctions on Syria:
● The US initially imposed sanctions in 1979.
● The sanctions were further extended with the Syria Accountability Act in 2004.
● They were further tightened after the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011-2012.
● The most stringent of these sanctions was implemented with the Caesar Act in 2019.
The decision was implemented through a new executive order on July 1, 2025, following the US President’s order. It was said to give the Syrian people the prospect of a safe and prosperous future.
The process of lifting sanctions on Syria began in May 2025, when Trump agreed to lift sanctions on Syria at the request of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
This policy shift reflects a broader shift in US foreign policy. The Trump administration’s decision appears to be aimed at stabilizing the situation in war-torn countries and increasing regional cooperation.