Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa welcomed Tuesday the U.S.' removal of Syria from its state sponsors of terrorism list, calling it a major step toward sanctions relief.
"Today, Syria shakes off a dark stain and tears away a painful chapter of its past to embark on a path of development, reconstruction and rebuilding," al-Sharaa said in a speech.
Washington's decision Monday rescinded a decades-old designation that came with severe economic restrictions, marking another step in warming ties between the countries following the ouster of the Bashar Assad regime in 2024.
The Treasury Department announced corresponding sanctions relief.
Al-Sharaa expressed his "many thanks to the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, and to all the friendly and supportive nations that stood by us."
The U.S. Department of State also revoked its designation of the al-Nusra Front – latterly known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – as a terrorist organization. Al-Sharaa led that group, which spearheaded the blitz offensive that toppled Assad.
It was formerly the branch of Al-Qaeda in Syria before breaking ties with it in 2016.
Syria's new authorities are trying to attract investment to support the country and rebuild its infrastructure, heavily damaged by more than a decade of civil war.
The United States had initially announced in July its intent to delist Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, a move seen as a vote of confidence in al-Sharaa.
Monday's move gave Syria's "a path to prosperity," according to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The action "eliminates the final major barriers for private sector investment in Syria and promotes Syria's economic recovery and reintegration into the global economy," he said in a statement.
Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani described Washington's delisting as a "historic milestone" and said it reflected "the new Syrian state's commitment to international peace and security."
Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh described the move as a "success for Syrian diplomacy," according to the official news agency SANA.
It "opens a major and long-awaited door to strengthening Syria's integration into the global economic and financial system, attracting investment and modern technologies and supporting development opportunities."
