The United States views Türkiye as central actor in rebuilding war-torn Syria, emphasizing joint efforts for peace and stability in the region, according to U.S. Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John Hurley.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) following his visits to Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Hurley said U.S. President Donald Trump “finds cooperation on the reconstruction of Syria, led by Türkiye and the Gulf countries, important.”
He added that Ankara would play a key role in shaping Syria’s post-war recovery. After 13 years of civil war, Syrian regime leader Bashar Assad was ousted in December in a lightning offensive by opposition forces. Syria’s interim administration, led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, has been working to rebuild and bring Syria back to the international arena.
“Our teams at the Treasury Department are also working on this issue,” Hurley said. “One of the most important issues for us in this process is the reestablishment of financial infrastructure in Syria. I want to reiterate President Trump’s emphasis on ‘peace and prosperity.’ We believe that the best security is based on prosperity. Keeping people employed and ending conflict in the region is crucial.”
Sanctions imposed during Syria’s civil war have been lifted in several fields after Assad’s fall. In May, the European Union announced the lifting of all economic sanctions, and this was preceded by an announcement by Trump that they would lift all sanctions. Earlier this week, the U.N. Security Council removed sanctions on al-Sharaa and his Interior Minister Anas Khattab, which Ankara has welcomed.
"We will continue to support this and similar steps aimed at remedying the negative legacy of the previous period on the current Syrian administration and its people, in this context, fully lifting sanctions, facilitating Syria's integration into the international community, and ensuring sustainable stability and development in the country," the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
Türkiye has spearheaded efforts for a path to recovery for Syria since last year and backed the new administration in efforts to restore stability, training Syrian military personnel to help bolster security and launching a support program to increase Syria’s institutional capacity. Turkish companies also view the lifting of sanctions on Syria as creating “big opportunities” for investment in reconstruction.
Hurley underscored that the Trump administration supports an approach that promotes economic revitalization as a foundation for lasting peace. “If we can encourage people to invest in Syria, if we can revitalize the economy, we will create great hope for peace there,” he said.
Highlighting Türkiye’s importance in this process, Hurley described Ankara as “a crucial NATO ally” and a consistent partner of the United States in regional stability and counterterrorism. “Türkiye has suffered greatly from terrorism and has been a good partner with the U.S. in the fight against terrorism,” he said. “The U.S. cooperates and coordinates with Türkiye in many areas.”
The senior Treasury official said that one of the main purposes of his regional trip was to evaluate joint efforts to prevent money laundering and counter the financing of terrorism. “The most important focus of the visits to Israel, the UAE and Türkiye was to evaluate efforts to prevent money laundering and counter the financing of terrorism,” he noted.
Hurley also addressed U.S. sanctions policies, rejecting claims that sanctions target the people of affected countries. “Sanctions have never been imposed on the people of a country,” he said. “They are directed at the behavior of leaders, and the sole purpose of these sanctions is to stop those who seek to destabilize the region and the world.”
Referring to sanctions on Russia and Iran, he claimed it was “important to counter elements that destabilize the world.”
Touching on bilateral economic goals, Hurley said the $100 billion trade volume target set between Türkiye and the U.S. should be developed in a balanced way. “This has to be good for both sides. It’s not enough for just one side,” he said, adding that President Trump’s background as a businessman helps guide his economic vision.
Hurley said his visit to Türkiye was a clear signal of Washington’s commitment to Ankara despite the budget stalemate in the U.S. “You should see my presence here in this situation as a demonstration of the importance we place on Türkiye and our NATO alliance,” he said. “No matter what happens, the work continues, and the important thing is that the work continues.”
