Washington: The administration of United States President Donald Trump has taken its first concrete step toward easing sanctions on Syria, following a surprising policy shift announced earlier this month. On Friday, the US Department of the Treasury unveiled broad sanctions relief for numerous individuals and entities, aiming to “enable new investment and private sector activity consistent with [Trump’s] America First strategy.” Concurrently, the US State Department issued a waiver to the 2019 Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, designed to “enable our foreign partners, allies, and the region to further unlock Syria’s potential.”
In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained that the waiver would “facilitate the provision of electricity, energy, water, and sanitation, and enable a more effective humanitarian response across Syria.” The authorization covers new investments in Syria, financial services, and transactions involving Syrian petroleum products. Rubio described these measures as “the first step on delivering on the president’s vision of a new relationship between Syria and the United States.”
President Trump’s announcement on May 13 took the international community by surprise when he pledged to lift sanctions imposed on Syria during the rule of former President Bashar al-Assad, who was recently ousted. Friday’s measures represent an initial move toward that promise as Syria works to recover from the abuses of al-Assad’s regime and over a decade of civil war.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent affirmed, “As President Trump promised, the Treasury Department and the State Department are implementing authorizations to encourage new investment into Syria.” He added that Syria must continue efforts toward stability and peace, hoping these actions will guide the country toward a “bright, prosperous, and stable future.”
Trump revealed his plan to ease sanctions during a Middle East tour in mid-May, stating that lifting US restrictions would offer Syria “a chance at greatness,” ending its economic isolation. “It’s their time to shine. We’re taking them all off,” he said from Riyadh. Shortly thereafter, Trump met with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, recently removed from the US’s “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” list.
Calls for sanctions relief intensified after al-Assad’s government collapsed last December. Al-Sharaa, as leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led the offensive that ended the civil war. Since the conflict began in 2011, Syria’s economy has been devastated. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the war claimed 656,493 lives, while a 2020 United Nations report estimated economic losses of around \$442.2 billion during the conflict’s first eight years.
Sanctions further crippled Syria’s economic prospects by discouraging countries allied with the US from engaging in business. Since assuming power in December, Syria’s interim government has argued that ongoing sanctions, largely imposed during al-Assad’s tenure, hinder development and risk increasing instability. Trump’s recent announcement has sparked hope among many Syrians for a fresh start, although the full scope of relief remains uncertain. The European Union also lifted sanctions against Syria earlier this week.
The recent US sanctions relief applies to the “Government of Syria … as in existence on or after May 13, 2025,” according to the Treasury Department. It extends to various previously sanctioned sectors, including transportation, banking, tourism, and fossil fuels. However, sanctions related to Russia, Iran, and North Korea remain in effect.
One significant obstacle is the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, passed in 2019 during Trump’s first term. The law imposed broad sanctions targeting al-Assad’s government and its allies for atrocities against civilians. Named after a Syrian military photographer who smuggled out images documenting torture and mass killings in detention centers run by al-Assad’s security forces, the act has been a major barrier to lifting sanctions. While Congress would need to repeal the law to end its restrictions fully, the president can issue temporary waivers, which the Trump administration exercised with Friday’s announcement.