White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the move is meant to “promote and support the country’s path to stability and peace.” Treasury acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence Brad Smith added that reconnecting Syria to the global financial system should galvanize regional and US investment.
Sanctions on ousted former President Bashar Assad, his aides and others accused of rights abuses, drug trafficking or chemical-weapons work remain, as do measures against anyone supporting Syria’s military or intelligence services.
Congressional penalties under the Caesar Act survive; the administration can grant temporary waivers, but only lawmakers can repeal them permanently.
Monday’s order also ends the national emergency declared by President George W. Bush in 2004 over Syria’s occupation of Lebanon and weapons programs, and revokes five related executive orders.
Restrictions on terrorist groups and on makers or sellers of the stimulant Captagon stay in force.
Trump told interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa during a May meeting in Saudi Arabia he would lift sanctions and explore normalizing ties — a pledge Leavitt called “another promise made and promise kept”.
The European Union has likewise removed nearly all remaining sanctions on Syria.
Washington still designates Syria a state sponsor of terrorism and al-Sharaa’s organization a foreign terrorist group; a State Department review of those labels is under way.
(jh)
Source: DW, BBC, Associated Press