US President Donald Trump, during his participation in the Saudi -American Investment Forum in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, wrote on Tuesday the end of US sanctions on Syria, which began about 46 years ago, in a move that Damascus considered a “pivotal turning point” for the Syrian people.
Trump said that he decided to lift all the sanctions imposed on Syria after discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, pointing to a meeting next week, between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Syrian counterpart Asaad Al -Shaibani.
He added: “It is time to shine. We will stop all (sanctions). Good luck, Syria, show us something very special.”
Al -Shaibani welcomed Trump’s statements, describing the lifting of the sanctions imposed on his country as “a pivotal turning point for the Syrian people, while we are heading towards a future of stability, self -sufficiency, and real reconstruction after years of the devastating war.”
The US sanctions varied between legislation approved by Congress, executive orders issued by the President, sanctions issued by the Ministry of Treasury in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and sanctions prohibiting trade for inhumane purposes between Damascus and Washington, as well as other sanctions aimed at preventing third countries from carrying out business with Syria.
The sanctions on the Syrian Central Bank continued, after the fall of the former President Bashar al -Assad’s regime, which prevented the Syrian financial regime from reaching the global banking system, and hindered any attempt to revitalize the Syrian economy through the international financial system.
“A sponsoring state of terrorism”
The United States ranked Syria as a “sponsoring terrorist state” in 1979, which led to the imposition of sanctions that include the prohibition of weapons and financial restrictions.
This classification prohibits weapons and defensive equipment exports, controlling the export of double use materials, as well as other financial restrictions.
According to the US State Department, Syria is classified as a country of terrorism in the United States since December 1979, after the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, and what Washington considered “support for terrorist groups.”
This classification was also deprived of any country of providing aid to Damascus.
Executive Order 13338
On May 5, 2004, former President George W. Bush issued Executive Order No. 13338, after the Congress approved the “Site Accounting of Syria in 2003” law, which imposed new restrictions in addition to the sanctions imposed on Syria, including restrictions on exporting American goods to Syria except for food and medicine.
But the executive matter allowed America to import some commodities, such as oil, and also authorized US investments in Syria.
The expansion of sanctions in 2011
With the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in March 2011, the US government began expanding sanctions on Damascus with the aim of depriving the government of Bashar al -Assad of the resources it needs to continue violence against civilians, and pressure the regime in order to allow a democratic transfer of power in line with the demands of the Syrian people.
Among the sanctions approved by Washington after 2011 and remained in effect, the freezing of the origins of Syrian officials and others who have been involved in committing violations against human rights, and the prohibition of American commercial transactions, which were stipulated in Executive Order No. 13572 issued on April 29, 2011.
The sanctions list also included additional measures issued by Washington on May 18, 2011, through Executive Decree No. 13573, to freeze the assets of additional Syrian officials, including Bashar al -Assad, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Interior and Defense, the Director of Military Intelligence, and the Director of the Political Security Branch, in response to the escalation of the violence of the Syrian government.
Washington expressed its hope that the declaration of the Syrian authorities represented the formation of a new government “a positive step towards a comprehensive and representative of all of Syria”, and set 6 conditions for amending its policy towards Damascus.
One of the most severe penalties imposed by Washington remained in place, which was stipulated in the executive order No. 13582 issued on August 18, 2011, to freeze the assets of the Syrian government, prohibit financial transactions with it, grant additional powers to classify individuals and entities within the sanctions lists, prohibiting new investments in Syria by American persons, prohibiting the export of or selling services to Syria by American persons, prohibiting the import of oil or oil products Syrian origin, and prevent any American person from engaging in commercial transactions that include Syrian oil or its derivatives.
“Caesar Law”
Among the most prominent sanctions against Syria is also the “Caesar Law” in 2020, which targeted everyone who provides economic or military support to the Syrian regime.
The “Caesar Law” is one of the most stringent laws, as it prevents any country or entity from dealing with the Syrian government or its financial or economic support.
The law imposes sanctions on foreign companies and banks that deal with Syria, which makes it impossible to provide official financial support to the new Syrian administration without being subjected to legal dangers, and it also prohibits foreign investments in Syria.
Sanctions on Syria included secondary sanctions mentioned in the “Caesar Law for Civilians in Syria”, which targets individuals and entities that support the Damascus government, including military, construction and energy sectors.
The legislation approved by Congress in 2019, and entered into force in mid -2020, enabled the US government to impose a third type of sanctions other than “basic” sanctions based on lists and sectors.
The “secondary penalties” allowed by law extend to non -American individuals, and entities that are largely involved with any entities or individuals subject to basic sanctions.
The Congress passed the budget of the Ministry of Defense for the fiscal year 2025 on December 12, 2024, which led to the renewal of the “Caesar Law”.
“Captagon Law”
In addition, the United States issued a “Captagon Law” issued in 2020, which targets the drug trade in Syria.
On April 24, 2024, former US President Joe Biden signed the “Captagon 2 Law”, to combat the trade of the Syrian regime in drugs, targeting drug traffickers, especially those who manage the “Captagon” drug trade, and the related sanctions are still in place.
The law imposed penalties on 8 prominent personalities, including Maher Al -Assad, the brother of the former president and the commander of the fourth armored division of the Syrian army, and Imad Abu Zureik, one of the most prominent local leaders in southern Syria, and businessman Amer Tayseer Kheiti, a former member of the People’s Assembly, and businessman Taher Al -Kayali, as well as leaders of military security.
