United States rescinds Syria State Sponsor of Terrorism determination
Date of publication: September 9, 2026.
The U.S. Department of State has announced the formal rescission of Syria's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST), following completion of the mandatory 45-day Congressional notification period.
The Department has also delisted Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
The announcement follows actions taken by the Trump Administration during the preceding year to provide sanctions relief intended to benefit the Syrian people. In particular, the June 2025 Executive Order, "Providing for the Revocation of Syria Sanctions," accelerated Syria-related sanctions relief by:
- Terminating the Syria Sanctions Program;
- Ending the national emergency with respect to Syria; and
- Directing reviews of various Syria-related sanctions and terrorist designations.
According to the Department of State, the rescission and delisting reflect actions and commitments by the Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa to distance Syria from international terrorism. The Department cited Syria's formal accession to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in November, as well as operations to disrupt terrorist networks associated with ISIS, al-Qa'ida, Hizballah, and Iran-aligned groups.
Conclusion
The rescission of Syria's SST designation and the removal of HTS's SDGT designation eliminate what the Department of State describes as the final major barriers to private-sector investment in Syria. The measures are intended to support Syria's economic recovery and reintegration into the global economy.
Companies considering Syria-related business should review their sanctions-screening, counterparty due-diligence, contractual, and transaction-monitoring procedures to account for these changes and assess the effect on planned or existing Syria-related activities.
These changes have been updated in ONESOURCE Global Trade Content. For more information on how ONESOURCE Global Trade solutions can assist you in managing restricted party screening, please contact your Account Manager or Customer Success Manager.